Star Wars: Black Avenger of the Night: First Blood
by Tenkai Nankobo 101
Summary: Born of Savage Opress and Asajj Ventress, Darth Maul's niece Mighella has begun a career outside of the safe haven of Ruusan that has him fearing for her safety. She has begun the life of bounty hunting that her mother once held but what neither know is what destiny has in store for her when a Jedi Knight named Artemis enters her life and incites feelings she has never known before
1. Title and Prologue

Star Wars

The Black Avenger of the Night

First Blood

By

Christopher Cleveland

Prologue

Marcellus had never seen damage like this before. The Imperial Base on Manaan had holes the size of cannon bolts and it was amazing that only half of the entire facility was underwater as of now. "Sergeant, you have any idea who did this?" he asked a nearby stormtrooper. "Negative sir but we're looking into Imperial records now to find out who did this," the trooper replied immediately.

"Let me know when you restore the security recordings to their finest state, I want the first peak at who the hell caused this," Artemis ordered. The trooper saluted him before returning to his previous duty of looking through the security recordings. Shortly after Operation Knightfall, the Emperor had issued orders for a base to be established on Manaan for kolto extractions. Kolto was not as effective as bacta in terms of its healing abilities but when combined with the bacta tank, it cured almost any sickness, healed any wound, and revived near-dead troopers within hours.

The Emperor wanted his troops to be in their peak condition when he or Lord Vader would call upon them to serve their Empire. But Marcellus had a few ideas as to who could have done this despite not having the recordings to prove it and why. It had either been the handiwork of the rogue Nightsister Mighella who had been on a bounty hunting mission, the first of the two choices. The second was that it was Artemis, a rogue Jedi who was one of the few that hadn't backed down since the final efforts of the Great Jedi Purge began and attacked bases like this to inspire rebellion in the rest of the galaxy.

Mighella had the far more forgivable motive of the two but nonetheless, Marcellus sought to have the heads of one or both of them on a plate in his office. Captain Marcellus of the Imperial Army had had too many encounters with them to not establish themselves as his archenemies. But he wondered if he could somehow use Mighella's need for credits as a means of destroying Artemis. After all, even if one survived he would still have one less rival to deal with and he had one more trophy he could bring before the Emperor to the annoyance and humiliation of Lord Vader.

Then the sergeant he had spoken to alerted him that the security recordings were working again. Marcellus followed the trooper to where a viewing screen could be seen and watched as the images played out their story. Sure enough, as he feared, Artemis had attacked the base with the ferocity that that bastard Jedi could bring at the edge of his lightsaber. _You may have won this round Jedi scum but I have something in store for you that you're just going to love me for throwing in your path _Marcellus thought with a malicious smile.

"Trooper, contact Lord Vader and tell him we found out the cause of this base's destruction. Once you have done that, find the rogue Mighella and tell her I have an offer for her much as I may despise her," Marcellus ordered. The trooper rushed immediately to go comply with his superior's wishes for his enemies. This was going to be possibly the battle of the universe.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Sixteen years earlier…

Asajj Ventress had just taken off from Ruusan, having delivered her newborn baby named Mighella by Maul, never to return. But despite Maul's initial concerns about raising a child, his mother Kycina had displayed excitement at beginning the life of another member of her infamous family. After all, she knew that helping Maul raise her with the morals of the Jedi but the powers of the Nightsisters and the Sith would allow her to know peace before she finally died. "Maul, why so afraid about raising a child; do you worry you will be abusive like Sidious was?" she asked.

He nodded and told her that she didn't want him treading down the dark path despite his efforts to guide her otherwise. "If you use what Sidious did to you as a learning experience for her, you won't have to worry about that," she assured him. "How can you be so sure?" he asked. "Because I know how the mind of a child works and I know that that's how Asajj's mother would have raised her had she survived Talzin's fearsome wrath," she answered.

Then she added that she was going to feed the hungry baby and Maul decided to see if he could find Qui-Gon and consult him about this child. Though he had been Maul's enemy in life, the Jedi had proven to be Maul's greatest ally in death both by training Maul in the morals of the Jedi and giving him a tip in how to defeat his brother on the dark planet KaiSu Lak'Ton. He went to the grotto where he would usually see Qui-Gon and called upon him through the Force in the hopes that he would have something to say about raising the child. "I need you Master, now more than ever," he added before going patiently silent.

For a long while, there was nothing but the sound of water dripping from the treetops unto puddles at the grotto floor. "Didn't I dub you a Knight, mighty Maul?" he heard the voice ask at long last. "You did but I don't think your training included things like changing diapers, knowing when she would need to be fed, and things like that," Maul replied quickly. "I didn't think you would need to worry about that with your mother knowing how to handle all of that while you brought in food and resources for the family," Qui-Gon replied.

"Seems a little old fashioned, don't you think?" Maul asked him. "Old fashioned will keep you hidden from the calamity until it passes over," Qui-Gon answered. "What is this calamity if you don't mind me asking?" Maul inquired. "Unlike any other: a time of mass death and destruction throughout the galaxy that will see a tremendous shift in the Force; do you not feel the signs of a growing shift already?" Qui-Gon explained with his usual calm but weary demeanor.

"I do, it has given me chest aches on more than one occasion and was a bother during my dueling sessions with the training bots I created," Maul admitted with a nod. "Brace yourself, this is but a taste of the true horror that the Sith have yet to unleash upon the galaxy. If your daughter absorbs what you have to teach her, she will fulfill her destiny and help bring the galaxy back from the brink of the void," Qui-Gon stated. "And if not?" Maul asked him.

"Then you must realize that with her power, you will need to be prepared to kill her immediately. She cannot be allowed to use her power for the purpose of evil but try to immobilize her first then kill her when she won't stay still," Qui-Gon answered, turning to face Maul as he spoke. "I think I should return to them now," Maul said.

"Of course you should, you will need your rest before you go on a hunt to find something to eat for yourself and Kycina. If she can't find anything in her garden, it will all depend on you," Qui-Gon agreed. "Thank you for everything master but will I see you again?" Maul asked. "When you need me, I shall be there but now I can act only as a consultant and cannot interfere in your destiny," Qui-Gon answered.

Maul nodding in understanding of the significance of that statement though he was a little taken aback. "You are ready more than you believe yourself to be, now go and be a good uncle," Qui-Gon said, attempting to comfort him. Maul smiled and ran back with excitement making his blood pump fast enough and hard enough for him to make the four mile run back to his makeshift house almost without effort. When he came back, Kycina was quick to chastise him about stinking of sweat and told him to take a shower immediately.

"Won't the baby need a shower as well? Let me take her if that's the case," Maul asked. "Yeah you do that, the more bonding time you get with her, the better," Kycina answered. He took the baby from his mother and back out to the shower Maul had made out of trees connecting, shredded leaves, and a bag of sediments that acted as a filter. Though he was no expert at plumbing, he did know plenty about sanitization and wanted to make sure Mighella was safe and healthy.

"You ready for your first shower, my little niece?" he said with as good a paternal voice as he could acquire. When she made a giggling noise that Maul took as a yes, he used the Force to turn the faucet wheel and begin their first shower for the first time. The water was slow to adjust and Maul had to calm Mighella when she started crying due to the cold of it. But when it finally did adjust, Maul and Mighella were more like father and daughter rather than uncle and niece in their newly-forming bond.

**Across the stars, on Coruscant,** a boy was being born to a human woman of wealthy connections. One boy was already born and both he and the father were watching alongside a couple other individuals. All three of the individuals beside the father and the son were Jedi: Masters Shaak Ti, Agen Kolar, and Master Quintus Superbus. Quintus had been a Padawan of Master Tiin ten years before and was promoted to Jedi Knight for his courage at the first Battle of Geonosis.

Now, he was standing alongside a Padawan of his own whose brother was being born today. "How do you feel about this, my apprentice?" Quintus asked. "I don't know how to answer that question but I guess I could say I'm excited. If it doesn't count against me to say that," the boy answered.

"Nonsense Jupiter, it is good to know you are enthusiastic to welcome your brother," Quintus said. "But be warned that your feelings for him may cause temptations that lean to the Dark Side. Temptations fueled by fear, anxiety, even jealousy," Agen agreed. "Listen to the wise Master who trained me, he knows what he is saying," Quintus added. "Enough talk about Jedi wisdom, my wife is coming through the final efforts on the labor!" Jupiter's father, Pompey, shouted.

The Jedi and the Padawan turned to meet Pompey's gaze as Jupiter's mother Lucretia made the final efforts and the baby boy finally came out for the first time ever. Pompey immediately went to see his newborn son as did Jupiter while the Jedi Masters remained on reserve. "Son, what would you like to name your brother?" Pompey asked Jupiter. "You serious, dad?" Jupiter answered uncertainly.

"My boy, it is tradition in our family that the firstborn child of the group gets to name their sibling," Pompey insisted. Jupiter took one long and good look at his baby brother and at first, he was troubled for a name. Then he made a decision that he knew he wouldn't regret whenever he looked at his little brother. "His name is Artemis, like the first of our family to become a Jedi," he said.

"Welcome to our family Artemis, may your days be noble and heroic like the Jedi who honor us with their presence on this day of your divine birth," Pompey stated. "Worry about getting him set on that path later because right now, I want to hold him," Lucretia said with a smile. Pompey handed Artemis over to his mother and watched as she fed and pampered the newborn for the first time. "When he's old enough, will he be taken to become a Jedi?" Pompey asked when he had a moment of privacy with the Masters.

"His power already rivals that of his brother as untrained as it is. I feel it may be necessary to take him under our wing with the threat of the Sith always looming over the future of the Republic and your children. If we can give both of them a fighting chance before we fall, we will have done our best job with them," Shaak Ti stated nonchalantly. "It will be some time before we can find that out but if Jupiter is made a Knight before such an event occurs, it is possible that he could train his brother somewhere secretly," Quintus suggested.

"I like that possibility even though it does sound a little like how the Sith operated until two years ago," Agen admitted. "Then we should aim for making Jupiter a Knight just in case and have his brother undergo training with him when he is ready to become a Padawan," Pompey said. "No, it is forbidden that family ever be paired up together due to the connection established which could result in numerous temptations from the Dark Side. I will take responsibility for Artemis as soon as I finish with Jupiter and the baby is of age to become a Padawan Learner," Quintus replied.

Pompey was disappointed that he could not see his sons operate together as Master and Padawan with Jupiter leading by example while his brother followed. But at least they would be together for missions and would se each other whenever they walked around the Jedi Temple. Knowing all of that pleased Pompey very much and made him feel a little more comfortable while away, fighting the Clone Wars as a Fleet Commander to protect his wife and children from the Separatist threat.

**Captain Marcellus of Commander** Pompey's fleet watched over the space surrounding Mon Calamari while Pompey was absent for the birth of his second son. As part of his job, Marcellus had to make sure that the measurements the Jedi had installed were still working and the Mon Calamari king was still able to keep the tempers of the Mon Calamari and the Quarren people in check. _If it were up to me, these fish people would be left to fend for themselves but that is not my decision nor would it fit the morality of the Republic to leave a much-needed ally _he thought to himself. This impatience, born out of a grudge against Pompey for an insult the man did him, he knew would have cost him the fleet had he been in command.

He was content to serve his enemy for now but the time would come when the Republic would fall and he would be able to strike. After all, though the Separatists were not going to win the war, the Sith would still manage to destroy the Republic from the inside and replace it with a new order. Marcellus had already secretly pledged himself to the Sith Lord called Darth Sidious for when the time came and now all he had to do was sit and patiently wait. Soon, the Republic would be reformed beyond the expectations of even the Jedi who would not be around to see such an order as what Sidious had promised would be the result of the Republic victory in the war.

"Sergeant, I leave you to supervise the bridge for now. If anything should come up that requires my attention, please come to my headquarters," he said before walking off the bridge. According to his comlink, he was picking up something from the protected channel he used to communicate with Sidious. When he arrived at his headquarters, he immediately sat down on his chair and activated his comlink with much excitement.

"My lord?" he asked when the hologram of Sidious came to life. "The time has come Captain: execute Order Sixty-Six. Fleet Commander Quintus Superbus will remain in charge only as long as he surrenders all ties to the Jedi and evicts his sons from the Temple," Sidious said. Marcellus quickly thanked him and watched as a notice of Pompey's dishonorable discharge form came through on his screen; it was something he took with much zeal as it had the signature of the Chancellor and now could be used to complete his revenge.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Fourteen undisturbed years passed by on Ruusan and Maul did the best he could to deliver on his promise to train his daughter for the Light. She had learned all she could from Kycina and had even mastered control of her natural ability with Force Speed to the point where Maul timed her whenever she traveled the distance he asked her to cover. Little by little, he had helped her gain control until she could turn it on and off when she pleased and he decided today was the big day for the final test. "Tell you what Mighella, travel the entire world in as little time as you can and the sooner you do it the more likely you are to pass today's little test," he said when he obtained a timer and she was getting ready to go.

On his mark, she began the run the moment she heard the beep she recognized as her signal. Maul watched as the seconds slowly rolled by after she disappeared with the wind and at first, he thought she was going to somehow cheat. Instead, he found himself sitting for a little over half a standard minute when she finally came back and said she traveled around the planet. "Just a little bit above half a standard minute… impressive," he said.

"So did I pass the test, Uncle Maul?" she asked rather ecstatically. "Yeah you did, better than I anticipated you doing it," he answered with a stern nod. "Awesome so does that mean I get to go see the galaxy outside Ruusan?" she asked, desiring more than anything to see the galaxy and search for her real mother. Maul thought about that for a moment, knowing full well that this day would come and had always been uncertain of how he would answer her.

Then he decided the best way to do it was to do it honestly. "Yes it does mean that, my dear niece. But be aware that I can't give you my ship even if it weren't covered in years of forest," he said calmly. "I'll find a way, an honest way if possible just like you always taught me to do," she assured him.

"In that case, you may leave whenever you're ready but promise me something: promise me you will come back safe at least once a year and pay me a visit. Your grandmother might not be around much longer and I don't want to be lonely when she departs," he said. "I promise I will come back Uncle Maul; what could possibly happen?" she asked rather rhetorically. "A whole number of things but I will let you find those out on your own; it was about time you did anyhow," he answered with tears about to pour from his eyes.

**For the first years of his life,** Artemis had only known a life on the run from the Empire and its Sith leaders. His brother and his brother's master, Quintus Superbus had led him away from the Jedi Temple when he was a little boy. They had told him it was because the very Republic they swore to protect had turned on them and while they may be tempted to fight back, it would be wiser to live to fight another day. _But when will that day come when we can stop running and actually fight the Empire? _he often thought to himself.

His brother, understanding of his thoughts, would often say that he didn't know. "However, when the day comes we will know," his brother would say. "Heed the words of your brother, he is wise far beyond his years," Quintus would add in agreement. Artemis would often nod and state that he understood what they were trying to teach but sometimes, he really didn't.

The sunset on Muunlinist was always a beautiful one and Artemis found himself watching it more than once. But one day, as he was watching the sun set, he saw a strange ship fly down from the sky. "Hey Jupiter, there's something we haven't seen before flying down from the sky," he said, pointing to it. His brother took out a pair of macrobinoculars he happened to have handy and looked grim after he looked into it.

"We need to alert Quintus about this: we've got a Dark Jedi duo hunting us; they've been on our trail for some time," he said. "How long Jupiter, you never keep secrets from me!" Artemis demanded desperately. "Four years," Jupiter answered after a moment of reluctant silence to think about whether or not to answer that question. Artemis was initially angered by this but he reminded himself of the Jedi Code and calmed himself down right away.

"It won't be long before the Muuns are forced to reveal our location to the assassins. What can we do?" Jupiter asked when Quintus was in sight. He had also seen the ship and was also debating what to do when the brothers arrived. "First, we knight your brother in case we don't get another chance," he said after thinking for a moment.

"Okay, then what do we do after that?" Jupiter asked. Artemis had his mouth fused shut in thought at the notion of being knighted at long last. Did Quintus really think he was ready and if he was, would he live up to the title once it was bestowed upon him? "The Muuns will only be able to safely let one of us journey offworld before we have to run a gauntlet with the assassins for any more passage: we'll send Artemis away with our safety coupon," Quintus answered.

"You ready little brother? You'll be accepting a very big responsibility if we do knight you," Jupiter asked his brother. "I am ready brother, it's what father would have wanted," Artemis answered. "Then kneel before your brother, he will be the one to knight you as your father once requested," Quintus requested.

Artemis did just that as Quintus hovered behind him with his lightsaber ignited and held close to his face. Jupiter ignited his own lightsaber and recited words that both of the older men had hoped would be heard from Yoda instead of a boy. "By the right of the remaining Jedi, by the will of the Force, I dub thee Jedi Knight of the Republic," Jupiter stated as he sliced off Artemis' Padawan braid. "Use your power wisely and for the good of the galaxy and you shall know inner peace of mind and soul," Quintus declared, personally blessing Artemis.

Both men deactivated their lightsabers after that and instructed Artemis to rise. They also told him that he could hold on to his Padawan braid if he wished, a desire Artemis agreed with. "The Muuns have arranged a shuttle that it will transport only one of us out. Your last order as one of us is to take that shuttle out of here while we hold off the assassins as long as possible," Quintus added grimly. "Am I going to see either one of you again?" Artemis asked.

Quintus said nothing there and neither did Jupiter for a couple minutes. But it was the latter rather than the former who stated, "Don't count on it, my little brother". Though Artemis was disappointed about that, he knew his brother was telling the honest truth and allowed them to take him to the shuttle that would see to his escape off Muunilinist. Just before getting on though, and feeling the effects of the Dark Jedi assassins' raid upon the facility, he turned around and recited the mantra, "May the Force be with you".

Jupiter held him in a tight hug that would've made a Wookiee jealous for a couple minutes as well. "Hey, if you two are going to die, at least give them hell before you go, would you please?" Artemis asked his older brother. "You can definitely count on that even if you can't count on our reunion," Jupiter said in his usual humorous demeanor despite the situation. And just like that, Artemis was on board and was watching as the shuttle doors closed on his brother and family friend for the final time.

**Mighella turned to face** her uncle and grandmother as she strapped on her traveling pack and took in one last view of her humble home. "Thank you Uncle Maul, I'm going to miss you and Grandma so much while I'm out there," she said. And as she said that, she lunged herself into her uncle's warm embrace as she had many times before. Tears were rolling down her eyes and he looked like he was also trying to fight back at crying too.

"I know, I'm going to miss you too. And remember always Mighella, I may not be your father and your real one may not be here, but you always be the closest thing to a daughter I will ever desire," he replied. At that point, her grandmother came out with a red box that Maul had never before seen though Kycina claimed it was one of the possessions she had kept during her time in Felucia. "Wear this and it will help you find your mother," she added.

The content of the box was revealed to be a necklace with a large, dark-red ruby and a simple chain. "This pendant has been imbued with the blood of your maternal grandmother thanks to the sacrifice she made saving me. Because your mother Asajj is her daughter, this amulet will act as your compass and help you find her across the stars," Kycina stated. Mighella put it on, strapped her two daggers, and her energy bow (obtained during one return trip to Dathomir by Maul and Kycina) before gathering Maul into a group hug.

"I will return Grandma, I promise," Mighella said. "I know you will my dear, I know you will," Kycina said. And just like that, Maul and Kycina watched as Mighella left out that door and sped her way to the nearest transport offworld for who knew how long. "I tell you, it's not going to be the same without her around," Kycina stated, crying as she did so.

Maul did not show it but in some ways, he felt it the worst. After all, he was responsible for her father not being here to meet her. He had allowed himself to be instructed in the code of the Jedi Order just so he could guide her on the path of righteousness. And now, he was watching the product of his and Kycina's training walk out the door with no intent to return overnight as had been the normality of it; there were no words that could be said for that.

"We did it mother, we raised someone who could avenge what the Jedi could not protect," Maul said. "Yes and it was a day I feared I would not live to see," she agreed. Maul hated thinking about his mother's aging though it was becoming more and more of an issue in recent times. "Don't talk of death mother, it has not come for you yet," he said, somewhat admitting that insecurity.

** Marcellus had reveled in the** triumph of being able to arrest, convict, and execute his enemy Pompey. Since then, he had had the fleet staff dissolved and reestablished, seen to the pursuit of Pompey's sons and their Jedi mentor, and become a respected general in the Army of the Galactic Empire. And he enjoyed his triumphs both by bedding with several women for weeks on end and torturing the Pompey loyalists who had endured the years of unfathomed pain. The best part of it was though he took more fun out of being with the women, he wasn't too displeased to see the scum suffer as well.

He was on his way to one such performance and recalled how last time went. How one of the loyalists had said that at least one of Pompey's sons would return and he would fall then. "I wouldn't be too sure of that for a near-infinite fleet of soldiers stands ready for my command," he had stated to this man. "Armies, wealth, women, and your personal delight in torture and sadism will not save you from the wielders of honor, justice, and truth," the man had replied.

"Brave words, coming from a man who will soon die from overwhelming stimulation of his pain receptors," Marcellus had stated before committing the man's murder. Now he was on his way to see who would like to be his victim next. It didn't take him long to find someone he could kill as another man spoke up with the same vigor and defeat as the other one.

"You're going to lose," this one told him. "Ah Loki, the jester of the old staff, what makes you say that?" Marcellus asked him. "You lack courage, you'll turn on friends to satisfy your greedy appetites, and you just have no dick. It's a wonder your voice sounds even half as manly as it does," Loki answered with a sneer.

"It seems you too would like to end your life as your friend Dante did last week. As you wish, let's finish this game but not too quickly. After all, it's my birthday and I want suffering before I get my sex," Marcellus said. At the snap of his finger, Loki suffered for eight and a half hours before he passed away due to heart failure and overwhelming stimulation his pain receptors.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Artemis' shuttle managed to launch into the air and even made it out of the atmosphere of Muunilinist before the Imperials were on to him. The pilot was killed in an explosion of the controls so he took the piloting underway, dodging the lasers of a Star Destroyer and avoiding TIE fighters as much as he could. He even managed to shoot a couple down when they came to close for him to remain in the defensive mode. Then he decided to make a lightspeed trip to the one place he knew would be safe from the Empire: his homeworld, planet Pisces.

His mother ruled there as queen with a wise, fair hand and could hold out against the Empire almost indefinitely with her connections in the Senate and her own personal wealth. Unfortunately, his ship was hit by one of the bolts of a Star Destroyer just as he was getting into hyperspace. His engine would be compromised upon arriving to Pisces but he would most definitely have enough power to make it there before risking a crash landing. While that was a major issue, he was not nearly as concerned with that as another issue that came up: what would he tell his mother about the fate of his brother and Quintus?

** The first time Mighella** got on the transport that would take her offworld, she wondered what she would see when she got off. She knew she was headed for a world called Nyx and from there Coruscant but she still didn't know if Nyx would be a good start. It was also unknown if Coruscant would be the crème de la crème as everyone on the transport had stated that it was. She was definitely going to find out when she got off the ship today and when the doors opened, she was immediately swept away by the natural and manufactured beauty of the planet.

The trees to the south of her congregated into a forest so massive and colorful that it seemed as though she could see the entire rainbow. These forests also extended to the east of her and seemed to cover something from Nyx's past that was best left alone. To the north and west of her, the city in its entire splendor, the tiles so well-crafted that it seemed as though the entire city had been made out of silver and gold rather than natural stones from the planet's soil. It was only when she actually walked into the city that she began to become confused at what its history was like.

Every few hundred miles she went (maybe more) she saw a statue of her uncle, well kept and in some sort of aggressive fighting stance. Even more confusing, he was holding a double-sided lightsaber rather than the traditionally designed blade she occasionally saw him with when she was a little kid. "You ever wonder what happened to that guy Maul or were you not around when he came here?" an old man asked her as he walked toward the statue. She was confused at that but she remembered her training and answered that she hadn't been around at the time her uncle had been here but she did ask if he could keep a secret.

He nodded and leaned in close to her so that only he could hear the secret she had to tell. "I don't wonder what happened: I _know _what happened. I'm his niece by his brother Savage Opress and Asajj Ventress," she confessed to him in secret. "How's your uncle doing; I was an admirer of his when he came through here at least fifteen years ago," the man asked.

"He's great, he's caring after my grandmother while I'm gone exploring the galaxy," she answered. She was using these questions to test the old man, see if he was trustworthy and wouldn't make a move against her or her family. Unfortunately, he didn't pass the examination and one question more could either cost him his life or persuade her to spare him. "A grandmother… well at least he's doing right presently unlike what he did to the Republic in his youth," the man said.

"Does it explain the statues?" she asked. "No, those came years before he made his attacks on the Republic when he actually saved King Laertes from being assassinated and dethroned almost at the same time," the man answered. "But what did he do?" she inquired. "You lived with him and yet he didn't tell you?" the man asked her.

"He did, I would just like your insight on it since I have never seen anything of him wielding a double-sided lightsaber. I didn't even know Nyx still idolized him even after all these years for that matter," she answered. "In a nutshell, he did some things that no god or goddess I could name would ever forgive him for but at least now he's making right," the man explained. "That pretty much sums up what he told me of his past as well," she agreed.

"Hey, if you're looking for a transport to Coruscant, there's one north of here that leaves in a few standard hours. In the meantime, enjoy the sights and enjoy the reverence we put up for your uncle, I guess," the man said. Then he walked away, never to be seen or heard from again and Mighella had to wonder why people did what they did or said what they said. Her uncle often told her that it was either out of stupidity, ignorance, delusion, or some perceived love, honor, or duty.

While she did agree with that point of view and could relate with some personal experience, she had wonder if there was more to it than that. There was no way that people could be so shallow in a galaxy of that supported trillions of life forms across the stars. Was there someone out there that could prove her right or would her uncle prove himself right on his views of "normal people"? As she used her speed to travel to the monuments and get snapshots of the city, she began to realize why her uncle let her go: to pass her ultimate test which was on her test of spirit and morality.

** "She faces her ultimate** test a time in her life that is marked by emotional instability and anxieties about her future. I wonder if it was too soon to let her out into the galaxy," Maul thought aloud. "She will prove to have a better chance of unleashing her potential out there than in here if you have successfully trained her in coherence of the Jedi ways and your skills with a blade and martial arts combat," Kycina stated. "What are you doing out of bed, mother; shouldn't you be saving your strength?" Maul asked, knowing about how she had become deftly ill a few weeks ago and was still recovering

"No Maul, I shouldn't… because my time is almost here. I have foreseen it," she answered. "What are you… what about Mighella!?" he shouted, unbelieving of what he was hearing. "I have looked into her future and I have seen a divergence in the flow of the river that is her path.

"On one side, she falls into temptation and becomes the most powerful agent your master has ever selected even overthrowing his current apprentice in the process. And on the other, I see her living a life of eternal bliss with a human man trained by the Jedi and has been unknowing of love since the demise of his entire family," she explained with no fear in her voice. "But how can she keep from the darker path without you there to aid my guidance?" he insisted. "You never needed me to guide her on the path she has walked, you have only created the illusion that you needed me because of the wisdom I have found by being with you," she replied.

"But mother, it was my love for you that saved your life when my brother wanted to kill you on KaiSu Lak'Ton. I needed you then and I need you now just as much!" he said. "No Maul, it is time for you to continue your journey in the will of the Force without me. Do you know how old I am or is that one of the things I never told you?" she asked him.

He admitted that he didn't know how she was and that it was one of the things she never told him. "Including my childhood years, I am three hundred and eighty-eight years old by standard time. By Dathomiri time, I'm already nearly two thousand years old. Though neither is more than a speck next to your grandmother, I am old enough to know I am tired and no longer seek the rejuvenation of the Nightsister magic, which had been how I lived up to this point," she told him bluntly.

Maul sat back down on the chair he had been sitting on earlier, shock riveting on his face and body as his mother told him what she told him. "Do not fear for me my son, I'll be reunited with your father and you have no idea how long I have wanted to see him again. And apologize to Deimos for how I ruined him in the final years of his life," she added. After she said that, the cherry blossoms around them began to lose their petals which blew in the wind toward the cliffs a couple meters away from their secluded home.

Then she said the words Maul feared hearing from her: "My time has come". She turned to him after watching the beginning of the petals' flight and planted her staff in the ground. "If ever you should need my power or my counsel, my staff will contain everything I need," she said. Then she turned back to the path of the petals and walked toward the cliffs whose sheer drop would kill any non Force-sensitive who jumped off.

Maul did nothing to stop her, helpless as she walked to the cliffs and unable to take his focus off even to see the staff she left behind. When Kycina was almost to the edge, she turned to him one last time and offered a piece of wisdom he would never forget. "Believe in your niece as I believed in you and you will know the peace which I am content to carry with me to my death," she said. Something snapped in Maul right then and he ran for her to try and stop her from making the jump but he was only in time to miss her fingers as she made the massive plunge.

And faintly he heard her say, "catch me Mathayus, catch me Deimos", as she fell. Maul couldn't bear to watch her hit the rocks that lied at the bottom of what turned into a vast inland sea. So he failed to see, in the midst of his tears, that Kycina's body faded into a green mist that followed the blossom petals while only her robes fell. He didn't know how she became one with the Force nor did he know how long he grieved for her by that lonely cliff edge but when he stopped, he turned to her staff and initially just stared at it.

He could still hear her tell him to believe in his niece as she had believed in him as he looked at it. Then suddenly, his legs urged themselves up and he walked toward the staff that lied in the mud beneath his boots. He stared at it again, indecisive as to what to do with it and indecisive as to whether he needed to know what it could do right now or if it could wait a little bit. Then he decided after several long moments: he would wait until he had finished grieving for his mother before he accessed the powers of the staff.

He also needed to formulate a plan as to how he may help his niece from afar should she need something to keep her on the right path and pass his test. Using the Force, he picked the staff up and walked back to his makeshift home that had seen Kycina's final years and the first fourteen of Mighella's existence. Nothing would be the same now that she was gone, her room would be lifeless as she was except for the artifacts and memorabilia she left behind there. Nonetheless, he had to admit that he wondered who and what he would be without her and was thankful to have shared the years he had with her.

Many children were unlucky to have no parents for their entire lives and wish they did upon their deathbeds. They could also be unlucky enough to have both parents be abusive as Sidious had to been with Maul, the only difference being that Sidious was probably more abusive than a single pair of normal parents united. After all, who in their sanity would go to the lengths Sidious did to control Maul as his slave only to dispose of him when Obi-Wan Kenobi sliced him in half? And who in their right minds would also go to great lengths to erase their child and his/her brother as Sidious attempted to do on Mandalore near the end of the Clone Wars?

No doubt, that heinous, wicked old man was still out there and another confrontation was inevitable. The usual questions of when and where did come up in Maul's mind while thinking about that. But another question came up: would Mighella be involved in the circumstances of such a confrontation? And if so, would she still be on his side and ready to fight at that point or would she have been corrupted by the powers of the Dark Side before the duel could ever begin?


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"You summoned me, my liege?" Marcellus asked the Emperor. With his posture perfect and his tone suggesting submission, Marcellus did not fear for what the Emperor may have to say to him. That is, until the Emperor asked him the first question he would ask during this summon Marcellus had answered. "Tell me, how well do you know the children of your former superior, Pompey?" the old man asked.

"Before we became enemies, I was friends with his oldest son Jupiter and somewhat acquainted with his youngest Artemis. May I ask why you mention my old enemy, my lord?" Marcellus answered with a cool head. "Under normal circumstances, I would not have permitted it or let it slip beneath my notice if I decided not to punish you immediately. However, considering your undivided devotion to the Empire, I _will_ let this one slide," the Emperor explained quietly.

When Marcellus decided that he would only thank his master but say no more, the old madman continued. "I asked because, at the expense of a Dark Jedi's life and the wounding of another, we have successfully captured the one called Jupiter and are bringing him to Coruscant. You know him well and you know best how I may break him into my servant when he arrives. However, I must warn you that according to the report of his apprehension, he will not be in the greatest of conditions," he stated tonelessly.

Then the Emperor ordered Jupiter to be brought before Marcellus, who nearly threw up when he saw what had happened to the young son of his old enemy. Jupiter's entire lower body was missing from the pelvis down, there was little of his right arm beyond the shoulder socket, and more than half of his left arm was missing. As if to add on to that, a fourth of Jupiter's head was exposed down to the bone and even took his left eye while the rest of his body suffered severe burns. He was on a respirator but Marcellus had to admit that he considered the boy very lucky to even be alive after whatever he went through.

"His will to live is very strong, the Dark Jedi even mentioned that Jupiter lived to 'protect' his younger brother. However, we could use this will to live to track down Artemis and anyone who chooses to associate themselves with him. Jupiter will have no memory of anything due to the damage to his head but he will not lack the sentience to comprehend what we tell him. We can also program memories into his thanks to the technology we have at our disposal and twist him even further into our tool," Palpatine added.

"And what do you wish me to do? It would appear that you do not need me to install the loyalty into him, am I mistaken?" Marcellus asked. "You are perceptive compared to the average Imperial Officer; yes, instilling loyalty will not be your duty. Rather, it will be your duty to make sure Jupiter devotes himself solely to the Empire and either returns with his brother's head in his hand or not at all," the Emperor answered.

"If it pleases you milord, I would like to see to the installation of these programs and his rebuilding process in person. I will even take full responsibility for his complete restoration and see to it that he becomes a servant to the Empire, taking the pressure off you so you can explore more important aspects of the Dark Side," Marcellus stated after looking at Jupiter. "He's all yours Marcellus, I had expected you to request that and now, here's yours to prepare so long as his loyalty lies unquestionably with the Empire alone," Palpatine stated. Then he left Marcellus to begin the operation with the material he had left on a table not too far away from where they stood talking.

**Artemis had crashed down** on planet Pisces, his home, and now was looking forward only to receiving hell from his mother. She never liked it when ships crashed in the way he did and ruined the look of the shipping bay which was extravagant compared to anything else he had seen. Even with his master and brother, there were no shipping bays whose cleanliness, efficiency of staff, and quick unloading process worked nearly as effectively and safely as this bay which seemed to glisten with silver and gold against Pisces' bright, massive sun. "Hey your Highness, isn't that your boy Artemis over there?" someone asked.

_Oh crap, looks like I'll be facing my mother's fury sooner than I would have liked _Artemis thought to himself. Captain Ra of the Guard approached him in a manner that almost demanded that Artemis draw up his lightsaber. But since he had just thrown himself out of a ship that fell to a fiery explosion, fighting wasn't in his best interest. "You want to explain to me what happened here or do you want to find yourself locked in the dungeons?" his mother asked him when she arrived.

Queen Isis was known for a kind hand to the people but a very firm one with her children, believing that if they did something wrong… They could be punished just like everyone else and often sentenced her sons and daughters to the dungeons in the event of a misdeed. "As you may know, the Jedi have been betrayed by the Republic; it's become an Empire and I am not sure if my brother and Jedi Master are still alive. We were attacked over Muunilinist and they fell behind to fight off two Dark Jedi assassins sent by the new Emperor," Artemis answered.

Isis had nothing to say, having been real close to Quintus and loving Jupiter as much as she loved Artemis. Then she stated the one thing she knew to say to her youngest son and only legitimate heir. "Stay here and get your rest for a few days. I will make sure this Emperor does not bother you until you're ready to begin traveling again, at least," she said.

"Thanks mother, I'm going to need to abdicate the right to the throne before I leave in order to keep you safe," he stated calmly. "Not to worry my son, all that will be taken care of and I will continue to fund any expeditions you take into the galaxy. You may no longer be an heir to the throne once you abdicate but you are still my son and I will always be by your side. Just worry about saving the galaxy like Jedi always do, is that okay?" she asked with a wink.

He smiled and rose up from where he was lying on the ground due to jumping out of the burning ship that brought him back home. With his mother backing him up, he could guarantee that the Jedi Order would at least have a fighting chance in this galaxy that would patronize men like Artemis. That and perhaps someday, he could find out what happened to Quintus and his brother while also tracking down the Dark Jedi who attacked them. Maybe one of them would still be alive and know the fate of Quintus Superbus and Jupiter Tiberius.

**Mighella couldn't believe her** eyes when she arrived on Coruscant. If she had thought that Nyx was any good, the thought was immediately blown out of the water by this place. The city lights, the diverse races of people all around her, the sound of traffic in both the air and on the ground, and the variety of smells immediately enchanted her to this place. Now all she knew she needed to do was secure a job here and she would be good to go as far as living here was concerned.

She knew she would need one where she could see the galaxy while still at work so when she found several, she looked for not only pay but for travel plans. Then she found one called Bounty Hunting and found that they had nearly endless spots opened for anybody who wanted to join their guild. So using Force Speed, she made her way to the nearest recruitment, showed off her speed, her weapons and her martial arts, and signed herself up for a job. "Okay rookie, the Emperor put his stamp on this job specifically for anybody who's gonna take it," said the Weequay recruiter.

"Just tell me the name and the number of credits they've got on their head and I'll be on my way," Mighella told him. "I like your attitude kid, her name is Asajj Ventress. She's wanted for ditching on her taxes and causing violent fights in the local bars on Coruscant in drunken fits of rage," the recruiter answered nonchalantly. _Who would've thought my mother would get in so much trouble with the law that she's made my search for her easy? _Mighella asked herself quietly.

Nonetheless, she vowed to return with Ventress and collect her first bounty ever. "Be careful rookie, Ventress is a former bounty hunter herself. She's been avoiding youngsters like you for ten years, even giving the near-unstoppable Boba Fett a run for his money," the recruiter warned. "She won't want to avoid me when I find her," Mighella replied. "Then I wish you luck kid, come back with her and I'll give you the bounty; you can keep whatever else you get off her if you want as well," the recruiter told him.

She thanked him and decided she would begin a little slowly, letting the glow of the necklace grow and following accordingly. There were even times when it glowed brightly but began to dim after a while as well. _No way my mother can be as fast as I am. Grandma made no mention of her using Force Speed and indicated she was more for the lightsaber use herself _Mighella stated silently in frustration.

**Asajj Ventress had gotten** herself into some trouble since the Clone Wars had ended. Bounty hunting Jedi was the prime money-maker for many people and unfortunately, all spots were taken. Worse, if there were any other bounty hunting options they were not worth nearly as much as hunting down Jedi. Nonetheless, Ventress had managed to get by on tax returns, bounty money, and a brief real estate business that went under when the Empire busted a con run within the business.

That had all happened in the space of four years, making this the tenth anniversary since her business went under and she was almost completely drained of funds. In the meantime, she had turned to food and booze, allowing herself to become bulging fat around the belly (most of it being alcohol), and lose her prowess with her two lightsabers. Now she only used them as concealed weapons that killed a man who got too close to her when she wanted to be alone. She was almost wishing that the Clone Wars would reactivate with the Jedi returning to fight the Sith and the droids battling their clone nemeses.

She knew where she would be if they were to start up again: fighting alongside the Jedi and their Republic. Unfortunately, there was no such chance that the Clone Wars would be happening again. And unless some sort of miracle came by, Ventress was going to be on the run from bounty hunting, stormtroopers, and other bloodthirsty killers for years to come. Though she didn't realize it, Ventress' luck was about to take an interesting streak eventually for the better; better yet, the one hundred and eighteen pounds she had gained would also disappear.

**Artemis had arrived to** Coruscant, risking detection by agents of the Emperor, with full knowledge this was the only place to establish connections to rebel against him. He stopped at a bar to rest and to set out ads telling any smugglers and pirates that he was looking for anyone who would join his noble cause. The only one other than him and the bar staff was a fat woman who was drinking it up and probably costing herself dozens in booze by now. He hid his lightsaber well although she was beginning to look his way in suspicion that there was something he was concealing.

And he sensed an aura about her that hinted at power once wielded frequently but now almost gone. There was another presence he could sense and it was approaching slowly. However, he could not tell what it was although this woman's presence in the Force was similar to whatever was approaching. He just hoped that the woman didn't make a move before he could find out what that presence was and if it was a threat or an ally to one or both of these two.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Having followed the trail created by the increasing brightness of her amulet, Mighella parked herself at a bar and rest. She needed to make a plan as to how she would continue the search for her mother and the deliverance of her grandmother's gift to her. After all, sure the amulet guided her but what did Asajj Ventress look like? Was she anything like her or did Mighella inherit everything from her grandmother and her father?

She immediately stopped at one of the tables in the bar and was immediately greeted by a waitress who took her order. "Aren't you a little young for booze? We've got Jawa Juice if you want a non-alcoholic alternative instead of the martini you chose," the waitress asked. "Is that the only non-alcoholic beverage you've got?" Mighella asked.

"We have purple non-alcoholic eggnog if you like. The holidays are approaching and these stocks of eggnog just came in," the waitress answered her. "I'll take a glass of that then with my order," Mighella said. When the waitress asked her what she wanted at that time, Mighella decided on two large rancor breasts, one big order of Felucian wheat-fries, and a salad with ingredients from Manaan, Naboo, and Malastare.

"That's a lot of food, you sure you'll have it all down?" the waitress asked in shock. "I just spent most of my day traveling at half the speed of light. I'm pretty sure I can pull this off after running that fast most of the day," Mighella assured her. Then the waitress went off to punch in Mighella's order at which point, Mighella herself decided to look around and see who was around.

Besides her and the staff of the bar and restaurant, only two people had seats inside. There were men and women in the upstairs hotel but they kept to themselves and very few people even traveled across the restaurant, let alone ate in it. One was a man in entirely black robes with a hood draped over his head to where Mighella could only see his mouth, chin, and a bit of his nose. The other was a very fat woman who was making use of the bar's booze supply and dressed rather shoddy in comparison to even the man in the opposite corner.

"Ma'am, you've had your twenty-seventh drink in a row. You keep drinking like this and your tab is going to reach its limits and you'll start having to paying it off or not coming here anymore," another waitress told the woman. "Just get me another round or I'll give you an exclusive sneak peek at what a lightsaber feels like when it's going through your gut!" the woman ordered, snarling as she did so. Mighella sensed something about the woman's tone and about her voice that was not unlike the way she sounded when she spoke.

And as if to prove her point, the gem of her amulet started glowing more fiercely than it already did. _There is no way in _hell _that filthy woman is my mother _Mighella thought to herself. But her grandmother never lied and neither did this amulet fueled by Kycina's magic. So when the waitress left to get another round for her, Mighella made her way towards Asajj, unsure of how she would introduce herself to her mother for the first time in her life.

Maul had instructed her in proper conduct when dealing with low-class, middle-class, and high-class people but she still found her training a little out of place with Asajj. The amulet glowing brighter, even through the chest of her shirt didn't help it any but she decided to act naturally and start a conversation that would have her mother talking first. She knew she would be going back to her seat before this was over since her waitress had told her that the order would take a couple hours to prepare.

When she arrived at Ventress' table, she glided herself into a seat opposite the older woman slowly. The calculation behind it and the glowing brightness of the amulet put Ventress on guard and she asked what Mighella was doing here. "Hello, I couldn't help but overhear you say something about a lightsaber to that waitress. I don't mean to pry but you aren't by any chance a carrier of two blades and a master of Jar'Kai?" Mighella asked.

"Look kid, if you're looking to recruit me into the bounty hunting business, you can forget it. Besides, I'm number one on the non-Jedi hit lists of the Bounty Hunting Guild as far as the reward goes," the woman answered. "Asajj Ventress, I presume?" Mighella inquired. She knew it just from the glow of her amulet but she needed a confirmation in case her grandmother had been confused about her.

"Hey kid, if you're a bounty hunter coming after me, I must say that you've done impressive research. However, I must request that you back down before I hurt you," Ventress confirmed. "You wouldn't hurt your daughter by Savage Opress, would you?" Mighella asked, raising an eyebrow and stroking her chin in thought as she leaned back on her chair. Ventress also leaned back, the blow of hearing this younger woman call herself her daughter devastating.

For a long time, neither had anything to say to the other and just stared at one another. "If you're my daughter, what's your name and how do you know me?" Ventress asked finally. Mighella knew how to answer that one almost right off the bat, preparing all her life for this. "My uncle Darth Maul and my grandmother Kycina raised me on Ruusan after the end of an expedition in Dathomir; the expedition saw to the death of my great-grandmother Talzin and my own conception," she answered with zeal.

Ventress paused for a moment in thought, knowing that this girl was telling the truth about her identity. She even gulped down the entirety of her drink while she was at it too. Then she stated something that Mighella never would have guessed she would say. "Look kid, if it's an apology you're looking for then you can just forget it especially since I don't regret abandoning you!" she said.

"I didn't come for an apology, I came for answers. I came to know _why _you don't regret leaving me on Ruusan with my uncle and my grandmother," Mighella snapped. "Oh it's answers to questions like that you want huh? Well just forget it because I'm not the talkative type especially about things in my past that I don't regret," Ventress sneered before bringing out her two lightsabers.

"A real woman would fight me without weapons, nonetheless, I don't need one to kill you," Mighella warned. "Do you not know the power of within the grasp of the woman you're talking to?" Ventress inquired. At that moment, Mighella used Force Speed to come around the side, smack the lightsaber out of Ventress' hand before delivering a painful blow to her face. "I should ask the same of you though I already know the answer," she said after that.

**Artemis watched with intent** interest as the women started out nice but soon started bickering. It was when the younger one used Force Speed that he took a peak interest in her more than ever. He too knew how to use Force Speed but he never would have guessed it could be used for any more than a means of a quick escape. In fact, this was the first non-escape usage that he had ever seen in his life and he had to admit that whoever trained her did it well.

But it was when he saw the younger woman make a move for her two daggers that he started debating whether or not he should intervene in this matter. Sure he risked exposing his affiliation with the Jedi Order but wasn't it a Jedi's duty to protect weaker beings? Even if they wouldn't necessarily welcome the protection nor hesitate to write him off and state they didn't need his help? After much internal discussion about this, he decided he had to intervene, especially when the younger woman rose her blades up to threaten the older woman.

So he leapt from his table and used Force Speed to make it across the space between him and the women, knocking the younger one off her feet as he did so. "Sorry ladies but I must request that this fight be broken up at once," he said as he brandished his own lightsaber, its green blade filling the older woman with surprise as it glowed. "Jedi, I didn't think there were any of you left besides the older gentlemen of the Clone Wars; what's your name kid?" she asked. "Artemis, brother of Jupiter Tiberius, son of Pompey Tiberius, and last Padawan of Quintus Superbus," he answered quickly.

"Asajj Ventress, most people just call me Asajj or Assie (I assure you that one's only for vulgarity sake). I fought your master once and I must admit, his skills with a lightsaber were most impressive though not anything next to Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker," the old woman replied. "Interesting you say that when one considers that Anakin and Darth Vader are one and the same person and Kenobi hasn't been seen since the duel on Mustafar," he admitted. "And you would know this how?" Ventress inquired.

Artemis paused for a moment, not wanting to recall the attack on the Temple and Skywalker's betrayal of the Order. "When the Temple was attacked, Skywalker led the troopers who did it. When my master fought him briefly, he begged Anakin to stop what he was doing. Instead, Skywalker said, 'Anakin Skywalker is dead, the name is Vader: _Darth _Vader'," Artemis explained.

He hated remembering that incident since Skywalker was one of his idols along with Obi-wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. But if the former man was proof of anything, it was that even the greatest of heroes could fall and fall very hard. His greatest wish had been that Kenobi would finish the job he started all those years ago although now, the man was nowhere to be found. Worse, Ahsoka Tano had been killed by Savage Opress and Darth Maul during the Clone Wars thus ruining any further chances of turning Skywalker back from the darkness.

"Very interesting story kid but at the moment, we need to go before my daughter comes to," Ventress said immediately. Artemis made to speak but instead, he let his mouth hang in sheer surprise. Asajj Ventress, former acolyte of Count Dooku, infamous Nightsister and bounty hunter… a mother? "Who's the father if you don't mind me asking?" he inquired, confused.

But before Ventress made to say anything, the younger woman spat the answer out. "Savage Opress, brother of Darth Maul and son of Kycina. By the way, my name's Mighella and you don't want to piss me off, little boy," she answered rather viciously. "Maybe so but I must request that you take your quarrels with your mother elsewhere unless you're willing to leave them out the door and accept the food coming your way," Artemis replied calmly.

Mighella turned to see the food that Artemis spoke of but by the time she returned her gaze to where he was… He had already picked up Asajj and used Force Speed to leave the restaurant. As if that wasn't bad enough, he left the waitress a note and a couple credit chips. _Hey gals, here's enough to pay Ventress' tab for now; she'll owe it on me since I saved her life _the note stated.

"Do you still want your order young lady?" the waitress carrying the food asked. "Yeah sure, now that my mother and a Jedi have slipped out of my grasp. It's okay though, this amulet can track my mother and unless the Jedi separates from her, he'll be easy to find too," Mighella answered with a growl. The waitress parked the plates on the table next to them and told Mighella to let her know when she had finished her course or when she needed refills of her drink.

That first meeting with her mother had gone bad and she had to admit that she went against everything that her uncle had taught her with her actions. She knew she was going to meet her mother and the Jedi once again but she needed to remember her teachings in order to not flip out like that again. Besides, one thing she knew for certain amongst others was that her uncle didn't want her becoming the monster her father had been in his time. Savage Opress had been an evil man who killed, destroyed, raped, stole, and defied all the rules of masculine etiquette on the galactic level besides attempting to unravel the Republic and the CIS himself. Though her uncle had given him the training necessary to encourage this, she knew that like he was making up for it with her, she would have to make up for this upon the next meeting.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Artemis parked Ventress in his hideout and immediately asked for an explanation as to what happened. "Do you mean with my daughter attacking me or with me conceiving her?" she asked him. "The second one," Artemis answered immediately. "It's a long story and I think you might not want to know it right now, especially with her following me and demanding 'answers'," she warned him with a glare.

"The sooner that I know it, the sooner I can help her and prevent her from killing you in the next encounter," he demanded. "Well kid, you are persistent and I admit that I like you but you're not knowing my history with my daughter, any time soon," she warned. "Could you stop me from beating the information out of you with Force Speed if I decided I had to?" he inquired. "Threatening might not go along with the Jedi Code but like I said, I like you kid so I'll give you what you want but not right now," she explained.

"She won't find this place for a while, even with her Force Speed capabilities. I saw to that when I first came to Coruscant and started my search for a hideout from the Emperor and his sinister agents," he said. "I used to work for those agents, in fact, I used to be one of them during the Clone Wars. Did you know that about me?" she asked.

"Who doesn't know about the infamous Asajj Ventress, pawn of Count Dooku-turned bounty hunter-turned real estate agent-turned heavy drinker?" he answered smartly. "And do you know why I turned to the drink?" she added. He shook his head no and she decided she would explain why. "Toward the end of the Clone Wars, I was made to realize the evil of my Master when he tried to kill me over Sullust," she began.

"I remember that battle: Kenobi and Skywalker reported that you had not survived the destruction of your ship though you soon proved them wrong, but please, continue," he agreed. "After I was forced to make that realization, I turned to a far more sinister being: Mother Talzin, head of the Nightsisters on Dathomir. She brought me back from the edge of life when I arrived on Dathomir and agreed to help me in my quest for revenge. The first time we tried to kill Dooku, he made him blind with a special poison, cloaked ourselves in a magic mist, and posed as Jedi to try and kill him.

"When it failed, Talzin turned to the Nightbrothers who were our male slaves of war and sex. I fought six of them that I handpicked as fit to fight against me. Dathomiri culture ordered that a Nightsister select men to fight her in a series of gruesome test with the victor being the last one standing. The last man standing, who became my mate by Dathomiri law, was a young man named Savage Opress who had someone to protect: a younger and weaker brother named Feral. I never understood why Savage cared so much for such a weak individual when Nightbrother culture decreed that the weak would serve or die the strong or die.

"After Savage was selected, we turned him loose on the galaxy as Dooku's apprentice and my secret servant. We tried to kill Dooku and we failed, forced to separate and retreat thanks to Savage breaking out of both my hold and Dooku's," she continued. "While you went into hiding before going back to Dathomir, he went into the galaxy and found his brother on Lotho Minor… the infamous Darth Maul," he interjected solemnly. Ventress nodded and continued with the story, bringing it to its conclusion as she did so.

"Near the end of their rampage in the Clone Wars, Maul and Savage returned with an ancient Sith army hovering over Dathomir. After a long struggle that saw the return of an even older evil, we defeated Talzin and repelled the brothers. Maul fled into the galaxy with his mother, Savage was presumed dead after the battle, and the Sith army was wiped out by the united power of Obi-wan and Dooku's vast fleets. What no one except Maul and his mother knew was that Talzin had put me under her spell during those events and invited Savage to rape me.

"The event resulted in Mighella's conception and when I broke free of her spell, I chased down Mother Talzin. I killed her at the top of a tower that acted as a gateway to the planet that was brought back into this galaxy. But it couldn't undo Savage's soiling of my body nor could it undo anything that I had helped create. The ancient planet of evil called KaiSu Lak'Ton was destroyed along with the tower and everyone involved went their separate ways," she finished, heaving a sigh and wishing for a drink after that.

"So you turned to the drink not because of your deeds but because of what Savage did to you while you were under Talzin's spell, correct?" he inquired. "Both though the second one influenced my decision more greatly," she admitted. "You mustn't be so harsh on your daughter for it. She had nothing to do with Savage's own promiscuity and Talzin's cruel and sadistic nature," he stated.

"What would you know about those sorts of things?" she asked. "I lost a brother, a friend, and my father to Order 66 and a man's greedy desire for revenge, wealth, power, and women. He was like you, he gloated about his victory whenever he won and turned to the booze whenever he lost. His name was Marcellus the man with most voracious appetite for the pleasures of the flesh and the more earthly goods the galaxy can provide though his heart will never be whole," he answered.

"Not by any chance, Captain Marcellus Augustus of the Imperial Army, is it?" she asked in surprise. "The one and only," he admitted. "That man is very evil though nowhere near as bad as the Emperor or Lord Vader. The latter was once a hero but he always did have a darkness to him, which I guess consumed him at the end of the war," she stated.

They had nothing to say to each other for a small period of time after that. In fact, they just sat where they were in Artemis' secluded shelter and thought about everything. A couple of times, both attempted to continue the conversation but found nothing to continue with. Then Ventress spoke up by saying, "I've got some allies from my real estate business that are pretty high up the Imperial ladder; if you like I can help you avenge your family honor as your mother would want out of you."

"How did you know about my mother?" he asked her. "Who doesn't know about the legendary Lucretia Tiberius of Pisces? Or her disfavor of you for that matter?" she replied. The last comment stung him and she quickly apologized for having spoken too soon.

"No it's all right, never really liked her although I did wish that we had had more of a relationship than we did when I abdicated the right to the throne. The only choice after me now that my brother is dead is a son of hers that is… different. He was diagnosed with a mental disorder that doesn't affect his physical development but nearly wipes out all behavioral and cognitive ability. She'll have to hold on to the throne until she finds someone worthy to succeed her and my father," he said sadly.

"And that will take a while, won't it? Especially now that your brother is dead and you've abdicated," she said. He nodded and asked how powerful her allies were. "Powerful enough to make an investigation of war crimes on Marcellus both during the Clone Wars and his post-Clone Wars years," she said.

He looked at her like she had just given him information on how to reach the Fountain of Youth. An investigation of Marcellus' crimes had not been considered when his father was alive nor was an issue of debate during the Clone Wars. Now that his father no longer protected Marcellus and no longer ordered a ban on investigation, Marcellus could be investigated, tried, and convicted to the full extent of Imperial law. But that was the problem: all remaining officers of the Republic who sided with the new Empire were immediately pardoned of all crimes committed during the Clone Wars, given a new slate essentially.

However, since Marcellus was still very much the man he was fourteen years ago, any Imperial crimes could put him on investigation and eventually on trial. And though he and the Emperor had somewhat of a good connection, Palpatine would sever all ties to any involvement he might have had with Marcellus in any secret projects. Without the backup of the supreme ruler of the Empire, Marcellus could be sentenced to the firing squad almost immediately. That and perhaps Artemis could argue pardon from the Order of the Jedi Purge in return for revealing Marcellus' crimes and helping deliver his proper sentence.

**Marcellus looked at his** new weapon forged from the near-dead corpse of Jupiter Tiberius, son of his greatest enemy. He couldn't have been more pleased with his handiwork and hoped that Palpatine's nanotech was as good as he had stated when he gave it to him. Which was why he decided to interrogate his biomechanical tool of mayhem personally. "What is your name?" he asked, the first test Palpatine recommended that he issue.

"Phobos, son of Emptiness and a harbinger of doom itself," the cyborg replied tonelessly. He didn't even look at Marcellus as he stood with the posture of a soldier and his face toward the sky. "What is your purpose?" Marcellus inquired, continuing the interrogation. "To serve the Empire and purge the galaxy of all Jedi in its properties," the cyborg replied immediately.

"Why do you live for this purpose?" Marcellus asked, enjoying the effect of the nanotech on the damaged parts of Jupiter's brain. "A Jedi Knight named Artemis once tried to kill me and the process, he wiped out everything and everyone I loved. I want to send him to the Gates of Hell even if I have to drag him there before I die!" the cyborg answered with deep anger. Marcellus chuckled and thought about how to proceed from there, knowing that the cyborg that was once Artemis' older brother Jupiter had passed his little test.

Then he decided to tell him the only thing that there was left to tell him. "You are in luck my friend, we have located Artemis here on Coruscant although tracking his hideout has been next to impossible. With your connection to him, you could locate where the Emperor's best agents have failed. However, he isn't alone and neither should you be: this man next to me will be your partner," Marcellus said, raising a hand to a Dark Jedi with a mechanical right arm next to him.

"You saved me life although Artemis cut off your arm and killed another warrior in the process," the cyborg stated. "That man was my brother and I'm coming with you to avenge his death and your injuries," the man replied calmly. "Return to your quarters and prepare your lightsaber and your mind for the battle that is to come," Marcellus ordered. The cyborg went to do just that with incredible enthusiasm but it wasn't preparation that compelled Marcellus to make the order.

"Luxor, watch Jupiter while you're out there. If the nanotech looks like it may be coming under resistance from the regeneration of his brain, report it to me. And if it gets too bad too quickly, kill him and complete the mission for him if possible," he ordered. "With pleasure, that man cut off my arm and killed my brother; however, his skills with both Jar'Kai and a double-sided lightsaber are incredible," Luxor replied.

"I care not for the events of a duel that took place in the past. He is here now and he is your ally until his recovering mind commands otherwise, _if _it does," Marcellus told him. "But if he has any spontaneous memories returning, he could kill me and be coming for you," Luxor warned him. "You will be there when he has any such painful moments to give him a quick, clean death before he can do anything," Marcellus insisted nonchalantly.

Luxor left to order a shuttle to take himself and Jupiter to where they needed to go as Marcellus looked on. _With any real luck, Jupiter will live long enough to kill you before the pain of any spontaneous regeneration overwhelms and kills me _he thought with a wide smile. He never liked Luxor and the cyborg did present opportunities for promotion _and _prestige.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Following the trail her amulet revealed, Mighella managed to recover some traces of where her mother and the Jedi might have gone. But she decided to take it slowly in case she missed something important or even failed to see where her mother was hiding from her. With her daggers in hand, she made ready to fight the woman who had birthed her if it was necessary. However, she did want to come out diplomatically although she wasn't sure how the Jedi would react to that.

Nonetheless, she had to present herself in a humbled and apologetic manner if she was to have any chance with her mother. Besides, nothing real serious had been done besides Order 66 and the wars the Sith fought with the Jedi for near-infinite eons. In order to get the answers she needed, she was going to have to let Ventress be the one to take the offensive if any fighting were to occur. "The first one to make a move without any knowledge of their enemy is the one who is most likely to suffer first," her uncle used to tell her when she was young.

** "What do you sense, cyborg?"** Luxor asked. "The woman over there, the one in red. For some reason, she's on the trail I'm sensing belongs to the Jedi Artemis," Phobos answered, pointing at the woman as he did so. "A Nightsister… haven't seen one of their kind in a long time, nonetheless, when one is on the hunt there is usually a good reason for it," Luxor agreed with a nod.

"Perhaps it would be wise to keep a distance from her but follow her in simultaneity," Phobos suggested. "A wise decision, perhaps wherever she's going will lead us to Artemis. And perhaps we'll also find out what she's up to as well," Luxor admitted. _You had better live up to expectations; the only reason you're still alive is because the Emperor is interested in you for some reason _Luxor thought as they followed the Dathomiri woman.

He wasn't sure if the cyborg could read his thoughts but he was willing to bet that in the wrong hands, his power could become uncontrollable. Darth Vader, a cyborg himself, was living proof of what could happen if untainted power such as Jupiter/Phobos' were allowed to remain out of the supervision of someone who can control it. And since he was still in his prime, he would make for a magnificent fighter even with cybernetic apparatuses Still, Luxor knew that to avenge his brother he was going to have to think like the Emperor would in this situation and ask himself what he could do to destroy Artemis before carrying out his vengeance against Jupiter.

** "What do we do now?** My daughter is still on our tale and you're a wanted criminal. Besides that, I am also wanted for ditching taxes in order to pay off my tab at seventeen different bars," Ventress asked. "It won't be long now before the agents of the Empire find us, especially if they follow your daughter here; her amulet can guide her to anywhere you are, right?" Artemis inquired.

"Apparently it can, which means that separating is the only way to go if agents of the Empire are on our trail," she replied. "But which agents would be on our tail right now is beyond me. Though quite frankly, I don't want to remain here to find out: let's evacuate this place and go separate ways, if all goes well then we will meet again," he stated. Ventress nodded in agreement and made sure her lightsabers were in hand before she extended his hand in gratitude for saving her life.

"If we meet again, I guess it could be considered the will of the Force. What do you say to that?" she asked before leaving. "That that sounds like a plan to me," he replied with an enthusiastic smile. He then left in a flash of Force Speed and Ventress made to follow suit, hoping to buy herself enough time to create a plan before her daughter found her once more.

** In the distance, Luxor** spied two figures not too far from the Dathomiri woman's position. One was definitely the Jedi Knight Artemis and the other… it could quite possibly be the infamous Asajj Ventress. This was going to be difficult seeing as these were two excellent prizes to claim in the name of the Empire. But he had to admit that focus on Artemis, the target of their mission, was more essential than straying away just because of the bounty on Ventress' head.

"Phobos, there he is, headed away from that apartment to our left. Shall I make the first move or do you want to claim your revenge now?" he asked his cybernetic partner. "No, he's mine and mine alone!" the cyborg replied before catapulting himself from his hideout. He chased down Artemis, who apparently didn't sense him coming until he could only defend himself from Phobos' attack.

_Impressive even if it is most reckless if I do say so myself _Luxor told himself before slowly walking into the fray. It was at that point that Ventress returned to check on Artemis only to see Luxor approaching him. "Asajj Ventress, come to save your Jedi friend, I take it?" Luxor asked her. "My, am I popular today: first, my long lost daughter somehow manages to find me and now my old hunter Luxor has tracked me down too," she answered.

"Glad to see you once more as well but now it seems you are at yet another dilemma as you were the last time we met. Do you save the Jedi and risk being dispatched by me, your head being my trophy to the Emperor or do you flee to fight another day? It's your choice but with your daughter's impending arrival, I recommend you not take too long to make your choice," he replied, cool and calculating as he spoke.

Ventress was at a loss for words then and couldn't think of anything to say. It would appear as though for the first time since her youth, she was weighing the consequences of any decision she made. Then she turned the other way and fled into the darkness of the slums of Coruscant. _Whether or not that turns out to be a good decision, I care not to know but either way, we _will _inevitably meet again _Luxor promised silently.

Then he turned to face a bright light that he caught off the corner of his eye and recognized the source as the Nightsister he had seen before his partner attacked Artemis. "Where is my mother?" she asked immediately. "You mean the coward who just ran away? She is that way," he answered, pointing with his thumb as he said it.

The Nightsister made to leave after that but then she saw Artemis clashing with Phobos and seemed to be at the same standstill her mother reached just seconds before. _Like father like son, like mother like daughter; either way it is pathetic _Luxor said to himself. "You are deliberating as to whether or not to save this man," he stated aloud to her and not as a question. "I did encounter him earlier and he did use Force Speed to save my mother from my dagger," she admitted.

"Well I assure you that you need not waste another thought on him. He is a fugitive of the Empire and will be brought to the appropriate justice," he told her, smiling to hopefully hide his menace from this young girl. "My uncle taught me that Jedi were my allies and they should live to the morale they preached during their time of power," she replied. "If you are meaning to aid him, you are making a mistake that will cost you dearly; however, may I inquire as to the identity of your uncle?" he asked.

"I'll give you a hint: he used to work for your boss almost thirty years ago," she stated. And that was before she used her ability in Force Speed to roundhouse kick Luxor in the face, hard enough to send him flying through the apartment complex. The impact his body made against a stone wall after that knocked him cold for the rest of the battle. But he would not forget the indication of her familial background nor that she could use Force Speed; a Nightsister wielding it was rare, after all.

**Artemis had no chance** against the attack that came at him nor could he do anything to retaliate against its fury. All he could see were the red spinning blades of the attacker's double-bladed lightsaber and its attempts to kill him. However, he did get a peek of another Dark Jedi being knocked cold by the Nightsister he encountered back in the bar. Then, to his surprise, she turned toward him and made to help him escape the cyborg.

Using her energy bow, she cast several shots at him and even managed to hit him on the metal plating of his head. Whether it was any magic in the energy projectiles or something going on with his systems, the cyborg dropped to his knees in pain and even began to writhe in misery. "Come with me if you want to live," the Nightsister stated, offering her hand to him. "But I attacked you in the restaurant when you almost killed your mother," he said.

"I'll kick your ass later for that but for now, follow me. I noticed some hotel rooms in that same restaurant, we can stay there for a day or two," she replied insistently. He took her hand and she raised him up from the dirt, telling him to use Force Speed when he was on his feet. It was something he agreed to entirely, knowing full well that stormtroopers would soon be in this area and on their tail.

When they returned to the restaurant, the Nightsister immediately told the nearest waitress that they needed a place to stay and had none while Artemis rented a couple rooms. "Thanks for saving my life, what's your name?" he asked when he had a chance to talk. "I'm Mighella and you?" she replied. He told her his name and shook hands with her before mentioning her ability with Force Speed.

"My uncle and grandmother always told me it came from my Dathomiri background. In fact, they told me that my great grandmother, Talzin, may have had it before me," she explained. "Very nice inheritance considering who Talzin was when she was alive," Artemis joked with a smile. "I guess so but there are times when I wonder how my family tree could turn from such an evil person as Talzin into a woman as kind as my grandmother and then as reformed as my uncle and as animalistic as my father," she replied.

"The actions of those before us do not define who we are. However, they can act as the source of inspiration how we define our identities," he told her, placing a hand on her shoulder with friendly intent. "If that's supposed to be a bit of Jedi wisdom, it's surprisingly good for someone as young as yourself telling it to me," she replied, smiling at the warmth his touch somehow provided her. "Hey, I'm probably your peer at most and that was something I picked up from personal experience but thanks anyway," he said.

"What do you propose to do in the morning?" she asked him. "Well firstly, find your mother and I have no doubt your amulet can help with that. If we find her in one day, we use whatever time remains to get to a transport and leave Coruscant," he answered. "Wait, I got an idea better than a crappy transport," she said, a lightbulb going off in her head.

When he gestured that he was listening to her, she explained her idea. "My mother has a pretty big bounty on her head. I say I pretend to be capturing her and collect the bounty as a distraction. In the meantime, you break through security and steal us a shuttle. From there, I know a place far beyond the Empire where we can be safe and won't be endangering the rest of my family," she stated rather hastily.

"Sounds like a plan to me. In any event, good night and may the Force be with us in the morning," he said nonchalantly. Then he walked back into his room and closed the door, signaling his phase-out for the night. As for Mighella, she couldn't simply because of something strange about the conversation that took place. Something was beginning to stir within her, something made her want to be closer to this man… what could it be and why now?


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Marcellus sat down on a cushioned chair in his quarters on Coruscant and leaned his face against his hands in deep thought. He had just sent the Dark Jedi assassin Luxor with his cyborg Phobos, created from the body of the near-dead Jupiter Tiberius and had heard nothing yet. Then a hologram of Luxor formed out of the darkness and greeted Marcellus as though it were another day at work. "What news of our cybernetically-modified friend?" Marcellus asked immediately and impatiently.

"Besides taking a few energy projectiles to the metal plating of his head, he seems to be perfect, all systems working. However, I do not contact you because there were any problems with the cyborg. I am reporting to you about what we encountered while the cyborg and I were working together," Luxor told him. "I'm listening," Marcellus told his Dark Jedi partner.

"While he went to fight Artemis, who we found here on Coruscant, I came across an old enemy: Asajj Ventress. Best part was that while she fled away from me, a woman claiming to be her daughter came from nowhere and knocked me out with Force Speed. When I awoke, both the younger Nightsister and Artemis were gone while Phobos was writhing in pain," Luxor explained. "A Nightsister wielding Force Speed?" Marcellus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I know what you are thinking: you are wondering how it is possible. The last Nightsister to wield Force Speed such as this one died three thousand years ago in a volcanic eruption that destroyed a seventh of Dathomir," Luxor agreed with a nod. "Find her and bring her before me, alive if possible. The Emperor will be most interested in this one," Marcellus ordered.

"As you command Captain, I will double my efforts to bring down the Jedi Knight Artemis and bring her before you," Luxor replied with a bow. "I hope so friend, we could be in for the score of a lifetime with this one," Marcellus agreed. The hologram of Luxor disappeared at that point and Marcellus decided to perhaps tell Lord Vader or the Emperor about Luxor's startling report. Though he knew his superiors had to be informed of this, Marcellus was not sure as to how he would go about informing the two most powerful figures in the entirety of the Empire.

After all, the Emperor could be at a Senate hearing and Vader hunting down big-game Jedi while Marcellus was stuck trying to contact one of them. Then he decided he would do it in the most practical way possible: directly. He would go to the Imperial Palace and announce his intent to speak with Vader or the Emperor and no one else but his and Luxor's interesting discovery. So off he went to the Imperial Palace, deep within the heart of Coruscant itself and the political center of all power within the Empire as well as the birthplace of the Death Star.

Though the weapon was still under construction, the Emperor had stated that progress with its firepower had improved tremendously. Where once it might have been able to destroy a small town at most, now, it could destroy entire cities simultaneously. However, the ultimate goal was to make it powerful enough to turn entire _planets _into ash and dust scattered across the cosmos. While admirable, Marcellus had to wonder what the point was behind accumulating that much power in that one station when some of it could be redirected towards advances in medical sciences.

After all, the reconstruction of the fallen Jedi Jupiter had been nothing short of a miracle. And with extra funding, Marcellus could afford to create an entire army of such miracles via clones who would be more well-built than the original. An army of soldiers that each was as powerful as one Jedi master could secure virtually any system within a matter of days, if not less. The Death Star would seem petty next to the power of an army of corrupted Jedi Knights working for the Emperor and doing his bidding where even Lord Vader couldn't.

"Halt, no one enters the Imperial Palace without explicit authorization," a stormtrooper stated when he arrived at the doors. "I am Marcellus, Captain of the Tiberius Squad and conqueror of the southernmost corners of the galaxy. And I have business with Lord Vader and/or his Majesty, our esteemed Emperor," he stated immediately. "You know the rules Captain, if you have an appointment with one of them, you may see them," the trooper insisted.

"I appreciate your desire to follow protocol but you must inform Lord Vader that Captain Marcellus Caesarian of the Tiberius Fleet has pressing news for him," Marcellus ordered this inferior trooper telling him he could not enter. "Stay here for a second Captain and I will see if I can get one of them or one of their secretaries on the line," the trooper requested. Marcellus did just that and he was relieved to hear the trooper state that Lord Vader had granted him permission to have his audience. "Sorry to bother you trooper, however, I commend you for sticking to protocol no matter what," Marcellus said before entering the Palace.

**Lord Vader seldom liked** anyone insisting on seeing him in his chambers beside the Emperor. When he wasn't being assigned a mission by his master, completing the mission, or training his secret apprentice Starkiller, he was here. For in here, he was safe to contemplate the purpose of his existence and wonder why he hadn't died in Mustafar now that his wife Padme was dead. He knew that even with his tap into the wells of the Dark Side, he never would've survived until the Emperor extracted him unless there was some purpose in it.

Now, a rather ruthless Imperial Officer was coming to visit him with news of something he found to be big. He hoped it was news on the turnout of that cyborg the Emperor had him create out of the broken body of that Jedi Knight Jupiter. Better yet, he hoped the cyborg had gone off the deep end and been killed on its first day of battle for the Empire. He knew how Palpatine was constantly trying to replace Vader and he knew this cyborg was another exploration into possible recruits for the job.

"Captain Marcellus, your exploits will soon be legendary amongst officers in the Empire. What brings you back to my chambers so soon after sending your cyborg into the field? Has it already failed its first test?" he asked immediately when Marcellus arrived. "I'm going to have to say no on that one; in fact, the cyborg has done surprisingly well despite the failure to catch the Jedi Artemis," Marcellus replied.

"Is this all you bring for me, I do have more pressing matters coming up soon," Vader inquired. "Actually, there _is _a bit more information that might interest you," Marcellus admitted proudly. When Vader gestured for him to do so, he continued with what he had to say to the Dark Lord. "While out in the field with the cyborg, my Dark Jedi subordinate Luxor came across more than a few interesting figures most likely allying with Artemis," Marcellus began.

"It wouldn't surprise me that he would be beginning a web of allies in order to survive, continue," Vader added. "He is not in contact with smugglers, who would be the first choice for rogue Jedi hoping to fight against the Empire. Instead, his first choice (this may interest you) was our mutual enemy Asajj Ventress who has ditched taxes for eleven years going on twelve. His next choice, as fate would have it, is Asajj Ventress' biological daughter though a name has not been given for her yet," Marcellus continued calmly.

_How is that possible? She fell in love with no man before the end of the Clone Wars, Maul had a mechanical lower half, and Savage could only have impregnated her if he had raped her _Vader thought to himself. Then it occurred to him that that might've been precisely what happened and this daughter was the child of Ventress through that monster from the war. "What's so special about her?" he asked aloud.

He had to know more about this daughter's abilities in order to best capture and bring her before his master. After all, if Ventress served the purposes of the Sith as well as she did years ago, surely her daughter could do even better in this new era. "It would appear as though her greatest ability is that she can use Force Speed as a form of both travel and combat. Luxor mentioned that Artemis and the girl were both gone when he awoke from being knocked out," Marcellus answered.

"A Nightsister using Force Speed for more than escape does not concern me unless there is a good reason I should be," Vader warned. "There is: the last Nightsister to ever wield Force Speed as a form of travel and/or combat died three thousand years ago. She was trapped in a volcanic eruption and three thousand years is about the amount of time such a Nightsister comes into existence. The reason is simple: Dathomiri females are much more susceptible to forces of gravity than most other species and often cannot go past a certain level of speed before their bodies are liquidated," Marcellus explained almost immediately.

"So you're saying she can resist the gravitational pressures that come with Force Speed more than any Nightsister and most Jedi?" Vader asked him. "Most likely though what genetic combination is required for such a feat is beyond me. She could hold the key to figuring out how to survive the pressures of hyperspace without worrying about the liquidation of our bodies. It's possible that we may not even need to pressurize our ships as much as we do in order to survive a lightspeed trip," Marcellus answered.

"Bring her to me alive if you can and while you're at it, see if you can bring Ventress into custody as well. Do as you please with the Jedi Knight in their company whether that means killing him or capturing and experimenting on him," Vader ordered calmly. Inside, however, Vader's heart was pumping intensely at the prospect of catching a Force-sensitive rarity in addition to an old enemy of the Clone Wars. His master would be pleased but he would also be surprised if Vader did this without him knowing it.

"Return to your headquarters and continue with your current endeavors until I command your return to my chambers. This may prove to be more beneficial to the Empire than I had originally suspected it would be when you first arrived," Vader ordered. "Yes my master, I simply await your command," Marcellus said with a deep bow. Vader gave him a gesture of dismissal before rotating his chair back toward the window behind him to view the skies of Coruscant.

He needed the beautiful view in order to plan out how he was going to go about catching a rarity such as the described Nightsister. On top of that, this was the daughter of two old enemies from the final days of the Republic that had never been brought to justice. One was already confirmed dead by the end of the war but the other was still loose and had ditched taxes for both her real estate business and any other payments needed to keep the Empire going. As if that wasn't bad enough, she had turned to booze and ditched those taxes in order to pay off half her total tab expenses.

Three for the price of one if the Jedi was included, which would make this an excellent catch. But he needed a way to trap them and didn't know the first thing about any of them except for Ventress. Then he decided he would contact Marcellus and ask him for information about the Jedi's familial background, his homeworld, and other such clues. After that, he would need to see if he could go about using this to ensnare all three criminals in one incredibly tight spot.

"Captain Tarkin, give me the line for Marcellus Caesarian. I have some questions to ask of him about a couple fugitives that he is hunting down," Vader ordered. "I have sent the code for his private frequency to your comlink, have yourself a ball chatting with that scumbag," Tarkin replied. "Thank you Tarkin for that lovely description of an inferior officer," Vader said calmly.

_I do not know what the big deal is about him. The Emperor would be in love with Marcellus if he heard half the reports about his behavior _Vader thought as an insult to his master. But he didn't doubt that had Marcellus obtained the Force, the Emperor would see a replacement for Vader in him. However, he let none of this get in the way when he began his interrogation as to Marcellus' knowledge of their mutual Jedi foe.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"Ventress, Ventress, I need to talk to you!" Artemis said as he caught Asajj Ventress of the corner of his eye. "What is it that you, kid?" she asked rudely. "It's me Artemis, from the bar," he answered. "Oh so you made it, good on you," she said.

"That's not all: the Empire knows I've had associations with you and we need to get out of here. Your daughter has already agreed to try and reconcile for what happened both last night and before if you agree to come with us," he told her. "I've got no choice, do I?" she inquired. "Probably not, especially if you want to live another day," he replied.

"So what's the escape plan?" she asked him. "First, since your daughter has taken up bounty hunting, she'll pretend to have captured you. She'll collect on the bounty and distract the guild staff while I obtain a ship for us. Once that's done, we'll escape with credits and all then head for my homeworld of Pisces," he answered.

"Sounds like a fine plan to me. You've got yourself a bounty, just deliver me to my daughter and voila," she stated. "Great, now let's get out of here before any stormtroopers spot us," he said. Carrying her over his shoulder and using Force Speed, he and Ventress left immediately from the slums they were hiding in.

They soon returned to the hideout and Mighella had packed all their possessions to the best of her ability for their travel offworld. As if that wasn't good enough, they had been by the shipyard nearest the Guild and managed to pick up what looked like an ideal ship to take to Pisces. It was a transport that could hold enough cargo to make the Emperor proud while still holding at least twenty-five passengers and two pilots. Only one was needed for the entire ship and Artemis was the designated flyer of the three of them.

"So when are we going to jack that ship?" Ventress asked when she learned about it. Mighella immediately disappeared in a whirl of Force Speed, came back seconds later, and stated, "Ship's ready now though I doubt it'll remain that way for long." "I guess you're cuffing and carrying me there since I'm the only one who doesn't have Force Speed, correct?" Ventress inquired. When Mighella shrugged, Ventress submitted to the cuffs and to being lifted over Mighella's shoulder though she initially had trouble carrying her whale of a mother.

"Okay Artemis, you know what to do right?" Mighella asked him. "Yeah, just tilt your head to the right when you want me to get to the ship and start it up," he answered immediately. "I'll do that," she replied as she pulled her mother off her shoulder and pushed her along to the building of the Bounty Hunting Guild. Artemis shook his head as he watched in disbelief: a daughter dragging off her own mother to the Bounty Hunters, how often does that happen?

**Marcellus watched from cams** inserted into his spies in the Bounty Hunting Guild as the events of Artemis' departure rapidly unraveled. "So my old enemy, you will make for your mommy and when that fails, where then will you go? If the Empire tracks you there and defeats you, will risk a more perilous bet? Or will you defy your own Jedi Codex to save what you love even if it means succumbing to the powers of the Dark Side?" he thought aloud as he watched the recordings.

He watched as the young hopeful bounty hunter took Asajj Ventress to the panel where bounty was collected. Simultaneously, he also watched as Artemis stole a ship Marcellus paid specifically to have stolen due to the homing beacons he installed within its hull. "The young Jedi is proving himself to be more of a thorn in your side than you thought he would be," Luxor stated behind his shoulder. "Quite the contrary, he is playing every move that I have anticipated to the letter; he's making an impressive display of it to make it more interesting," Marcellus spat back.

"And this has you certain he will return to Pisces?" Luxor asked. Marcellus nodded and stated that though they may have argued about where to go, Artemis did bring in one fact. That Pisces had some of the most well-trained and powerful soldiers in the galaxy outside the Empire. And that was all under the assumption that they were not being compared to the Chiss Coalition under the command of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a prestigious officer in the Imperial Army.

"Besides the Chiss and perhaps the Kaleesh, the soldiers of Pisces are some of the best ever seen. They know how to win about against armies that number forty thousand strong with less than two thousand," Marcellus added. "Assuming that is not because they learned how to do it by practicing on each other?" Luxor inquired. "Pisces is indeed a divided land but the Republic had one brief encounter while the Separatists had many," Marcellus said.

He stated that Pisces and the planets surrounding it were not under the umbrella of the Neutrality Defense Act of the Republic because they never required Republic assistance. Even dealing with Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates was as easy to the most primitive Pisces native as slicing through a piece of cake. "Now that the Republic is dead, Pisces is in violation of an inescapable piece of galactic legislation: the Imperial Subjugation and Segregation Acts," Marcellus said, hoping he educated his Dark Jedi assassin a little. "If I'm not mistaken, the Imperial Segregation Act involves the separation of all species to the extent that even interspecies marriage is impossible," Luxor stated randomly.

Marcellus nodded and called a beautiful piece of flimiplast work as far as the Emperor could be concerned. "Even if I am defeated when we attack Pisces, it will send a message to the Empire. These criminals have drawn the first blood and wish to attack the Empire. Vader and the Emperor will have no choice but to retaliate," he added.

"First the Emperor will order an embargo banning all goods coming in and out of Pisces. He'll even establish a blockade to enforce this and choke the life out of the planet," Luxor began softly. "Then, when the people of Pisces rebel in desperation, madness, and starvation, the Emperor will order the light of Pisces extinguished forever. All traces of my foe Pompey will be erased and his people will have suffered the ultimate price for his weaknesses during the Clone Wars," Marcellus finished enthusiastically.

"You want revenge simply because you feel Pompey held you down for your inability to hold back when you needed to? That's the most pathetic motive to wipe out an entire planet that I've ever heard of," Luxor stated without any reservation. "It may sound pathetic but it also serves the Empire a purpose as well: Pisces also has one of the last few untouched reserves of lightsaber-resistant cortosis ore which can be used to make Imperial armor," Marcellus replied. "Ah, greedy _and _vengeful, I see; no wonder why Pompey held you back," Luxor snapped with a sneer.

"Pompey was selfish and only wanted what would satisfy his interests. It was just convenient that his interests also satisfied those of the Republic and put him on good favor with the Jedi!" Marcellus shouted in anger. "Perhaps Pompey would have made for a better leader than you, at least he didn't come close to dooming his fleet over Manaan like you did," Luxor mocked calmly. "Manaan was a mistake that I admit making and paying for myself; you prepare yourself for the journey to Pisces, it won't be long before our friends arrive," Marcellus ordered.

Luxor bowed and left to prepare for the travel to Marcellus' homeworld and the place of a great battle he knew was to come. Still, he could not help but wonder why Marcellus was so intent on destroying his own people even when he knew how strong their military was. If they were as skilled as he stated, why would he go to the trouble even for the valuable but rare cortosis vein trapped in there? On top of that, what's to stop these natives from using the cortosis in their armor, making them near invulnerable to most Imperial weapons?

It made no sense and it sounded suicidal from the sound of what Marcellus had stated about his own people. The Emperor could probably answer those questions with his own conquests of people he would never meet directly. Or Lord Vader who had fought these people with his lightsaber cutting and droplets of sweat trickling down his scarred forehead. Of course, when neither of the Dark Lords could help, he did always have his own experience on the battlefield to rely on.

**Artemis had managed to pilot** the ship out of the Bounty Hunters Guild without much worry. However, he and his company were now being followed by Imperial TIE fighters and a couple of Interceptors that could outpace a bulky ship like Artemis' any day of the year. Luckily, he managed to use the missiles on the ship to destroy those and the cannons on the ship to destroy the TIE fighters thanks to the Ventress duo. Soon, he was entering the arena of his most massive competitor yet: the Star Destroyers that encircled Coruscant in a ring.

"Mighella, get over here and help me pilot the ship through the blockade of Star Destroyers. If we don't get passed them, we won't be clear for lightspeed to Pisces," he requested. Mighella obeyed his request immediately and got back into the cockpit and helped him navigate through the lasers of the Star Destroyers. The ship took a few nicks here and there but getting through the blockade was relatively easy despite the heavy weight of the ship.

Artemis made it clear he had no intention of using this ship again if he could avoid it. Mighella agreed with him on that one and decided that perhaps she would enjoy Pisces for a little bit before they needed to travel again. "It'll be while before we can leave once we get there and the Imperials are permitted the chance to catch up," Artemis agreed. "If you two are done talking about _that_, I suggest we get under way with the trip through lightspeed," Asajj demanded impatiently.

Artemis punched in the coordinates for Pisces and slammed his fist on the button that would launch them into lightspeed. A few seconds passed and the jolt came that launched them into hyperspace and away from Coruscant, away from the tyranny of the Empire, and the clutches of its ruler. Now they headed for a world unlike any other in its serenity, its peace, and its beauty. But none of this was destined to last for very long upon their arrival to Artemis' home of origins.

** "Lord Vader, the Nightsister** I mentioned, the Jedi Artemis, and Asajj Ventress have just escaped. They're headed for Artemis' homeworld of Pisces where protection against ambassadors of the Empire is guaranteed. If you want them, permit me to do the honors of forcing them out and into your hands even if it means wiping out the people of Pisces," Marcellus begged when he arrived at the Palace. "Their escape is not substantial reason to launch an invasion on a planet, there must be something that could drive us to do it," the Dark Lord warned.

"There is: a vein of cortosis ore that has been untouched and allowed to accumulate for thirty-two thousand years. Think of what armor made of that could wield for our troops and what credits will be flowing into the banks of the Empire themselves," Marcellus replied with enthusiasm. "On condition that you request no aid in the event of your imminent defeat and that the forces used for this invasion are yours and yours alone, I will approve," Vader stated. "I accept your terms Lord Vader so long as I may be allowed to bring my assassin Luxor along," Marcellus told him.

"Approved and since you have accepted the conditions, you have two days to amass your fleet and head out. I will cancel the order if you stall a moment longer," Vader demanded. Marcellus bowed and marched out with great enthusiasm in his pounding heart, his blood hot for the battle. Now that he had Vader's approval, he would wipe out the people who abandoned him and truly serve the people who had accepted him in the fires of war and its profits.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Maul knew his niece would soon be in trouble when he sensed the vision of her at a deep ravine, trapped in a fortress of stone. He also knew that he had to force his hand though he didn't like the idea. Cutting a path through the jungles of Ruusan, Maul retraced the steps to where he had parked the _Scimitar_, fourteen years before. Getting there wasn't the hard part, seeing it in the condition that he had allowed it to become was difficult.

Moss grew all over the windows of the ship, rust was beginning to develop in some of the more metallic spots. As if that wasn't bad enough, it wasn't likely to activate very well even if it still had fuel left. "No Maul, you cannot help your niece when she has not been gone all that long," said the spirit of Qui-Gon. "But I saw the vision, I saw her being _killed_ in a fortress of stone by the Emperor's armies!" Maul spat back.

"That is but one path of the future that may be taken if you leave Ruusan. It is not your destiny to aid your niece just yet," Qui-Gon told him. "How can you know that?" Maul asked. "The dead are given omniscience and can see all paths into the future," Qui-Gon answered.

"Then you can see what I have seen and know I must take action," Maul demanded. "In actuality, she is less likely to die while you remain here than she is if you come to her aid. Besides that, you also risk revealing your survival to the Emperor when you are not yet ready to face him again," Qui-Gon answered. "But I can't leave her, she's only fourteen years old!" Maul shouted.

"I understand your heart better than you know it yourself. You fear the premonitions simply because your mother died two days before. Your fears are understandable but not well-founded, look deeper inside your soul and you will find another way," Qui-Gon replied. "That's the problem: my soul is black as the ink skies of the night, forever stained by the evils of my youthful arrogance and delusion," Maul stated, remembering the horrors he himself committed as a Dark Lord of the Sith.

"The atrocities of your youth do stain your soul but they cannot stain your thinking if you are determined to be rid of the darkness in your heart. Think Maul, what feelings did raising Mighella invoke in you while she was under your care? And what did your mother say right before she became one with the Force?" Qui-Gon asked. "She said… she said, 'Believe in your niece as I believed in you and you will know the peace which I am content to carry with me to my death'," Maul answered.

"Do you not recall how with the aid of the Insanity Herb, you brought your mother back from madness fueled by the Dark Side? Can you not recall how you saved her life when your brother desired nothing more than to stamp out the flame of her existence forever? Why do you think she believed in you even when she saw you were behind much of Savage Opress' corruption and were part of the reason he could not come back from evil?" Qui-Gon inquired. "She believed in me because… because try as he might Sidious could never fully stamp out my independence, my will to live… my hope," Maul explained.

"Your mother saw all that in your father and believed you for the same reasons as she believed in him. You are the living image of what your father could've become if he had not spent his entire existence on Dathomir and died there. And think also, your father died protecting you from evil: do you think he would be disappointed in you if he saw you now?" Qui-Gon continued. "He would be, especially seeing the deeds that stain my youth with the blood of many," Maul said.

"No, he would not be. Because even with your hands stained by the blood of innocents, you were able to rise above it and reclaim what you lost in your infancy thanks to your former master," Qui-Gon said. "How can you be so sure?" Maul asked. "Because I've already met him and let's just say he's a more optimistic, lighthearted, and wise version of who you are," Qui-Gon answered with a smile that nearly touched both his ears.

Maul looked at Qui-Gon in surprise at the prospect of him meeting Maul's father Mathayus. "Is my mother there with you?" he asked the older spirit. Qui-Gon nodded and stated that Kycina was the one who persuaded him to come speak to Maul about his current transactions. "She said for you to let go of what you most fear losing and Mighella will blossom into something much better than you could imagine," he added.

Maul knew Qui-Gon wasn't lying, spirits were forbidden to use deception once they entered the netherworld. "Can you tell her I miss her and can you tell my father…" Maul started. "That you would like to meet him? He already knows Maul and so does your grandfather: Deimos," Qui-Gon interjected.

Maul couldn't help but begin to forget about leaving Ruusan, laugh at the prospect that he would meet the man who helped conceive him. After all, Mathayus son of Mars months before Maul's birth, there was no way the two of them could meet. But apparently, Qui-Gon could persuade some higher power to do away with that and Mathayus could at last be allowed to embrace his son. "Choose your next move carefully son of Dathomir: if you rush to your niece's aid based on your emotion, she will perish; but if you do nothing at least until you have a cool head, she is safe," Qui-Gon warned before vanishing once more.

Maul knew it was a tough choice to make: he had raised Mighella like his own daughter all her life. He had watched her grow into the warrior she had become and even took part in forming who she was. Nonetheless, he had to admit Qui-Gon was right though he denied that he didn't want to clean his ship and prepare it for when she did actually need his help. "I'm going to need a quick exit if Mighella calls me and says she needs my help saving the galaxy: one planet at a time," he thought aloud as he got to the cleaning.

** "It's beautiful here,** no wonder why you wanted to come here and not Nyx," Mighella stated when she first saw the Pisces Palace. "You should see the lantern show we display at night as a means of mass for the dead," Artemis said. "Someone died recently?" she asked him. "My brother died not too long ago, we just never got around to lighting the lanterns for him until now," he answered.

"Sounds like a beauty indeed, when will the show begin?" she asked. "At night, obviously or else they wouldn't be using lanterns," Asajj interjected very rudely. "Your mother does speak the truth there but I don't think she understand that you've never seen the outside galaxy before," Artemis said, implying his annoyance at Ventress' arrogant behavior. "Thanks Artemis, you really don't have to defend me, you know," Mighella said with a smile.

_By the Force, my knees are jelly in your presence for some reason. Uncle Maul never prepared me for this _she thought to herself. "I know, I just like doing it because that's what Jedi do for others," Artemis said. But the way he said it and how he looked at her implied more than fealty to the Jedi Code. Ventress looked at them and she couldn't help but roll her eyes for she knew what was going on and was surprised they hadn't figured it out yet.

Here they were, hanging out on Pisces for almost seven months, and still only Ventress had the slightest clue that Artemis had feelings for her daughter and vice versa. Not that she really cared if they did or didn't, but she did still find it amusing. She never knew love in her life and looking on the outside, she found it most amusing how people acted when they fell into its trap. _One advantage of Dooku's training is that I never fell for such weaknesses with any man though I do admit that Kenobi's compassion towards me did touch this stone-cold heart _Asajj thought as she watched the offspring of her rape by Savage.

"Hey Mighella, why don't you go explore some more of the Palace? Your mother and I have some business left to discuss," Artemis asked. Mighella looked disappointed that she couldn't stay with him but she decided the artwork might be able to entertain her. When she was gone, Artemis turned back to Asajj who was the first to start talking which caught him off guard.

"First off, don't ask me why I hate her because I don't hate her. She just reminds me of what her father did to me for her conception to be possible," she commanded. "That's just the thing: what did her father do to you that inspires so much scorn in you toward her?" he asked. "Well first Mother Talzin of the Nightsisters had me under her spell so I remember zip," she began.

"Then stop taking your hate out on your daughter," he begged. "Second, I do remember how I felt when I awoke from her possession with the aid of Mighella's grandmother. I remember feeling like my crotch was on fire, my arm was broken, and my head was bleeding from having been slammed against stone hard enough to shatter it. Hell, I still got the scratch marks from where he smashed my hand with his mechanical left one," she interrupted violently.

She lifted her hand out to him and showed him the scars on her knuckles from when Savage attacked her. "Also, let me make one thing clear to you: Savage was a monster and to think that I would be the mother of any offspring of his was just impossible. My own creation would nearly turn out to be my undoing as ironic as that might sound to you," she continued. "I remember hearing about what Savage Opress was like from my Master: he was a reckless animal who cared not for his own life so long as he killed his opponent," Artemis added with a stern nod.

"When he lost his arm to Kenobi, it made him even worse. In some ways, it even made him more resentful of his brother than he had ever been before. Also, at the time I had her, I was living the bounty hunter's life and could ill-afford to have a kid around. I didn't even try to settle down and have a family until I began my real estate business in Rattatack, hoping to bring a little more order to the chaos of an insane people," she hissed. "You scorn her because of the deeds of your past and what was done to you by your father when it was by no fault of your own," he said.

"What would you know of that and for that matter, what would she know of that?" Asajj asked. "Mighella probably knows nothing of it considering she is still relatively innocent in the ways of the universe. As for me, I know what it's like to have lost my father, my mentor, and my brother; that's why I want her to come with me to their lantern commemoration tonight. And in case you've never noticed, I have a scar on the back of my hand from when I fought a Dark Jedi named Luxor who took on my brother after I was spirited away from Muunilinist," he answered.

"So you're saying I shouldn't treat my daughter like the bastard girl she is?" she inquired. "She yearns to know who you were, perhaps by telling her what you were during the Clone Wars and after, you can find for yourself who you truly are. So yes, I am suggesting that you stop treating her like a common cur and start holding her to you as preciously as a daughter should be by her mother. Just as preciously I wish my mother held me to my heart even now as I report my brother's death, the death of my mentor, and the passing of my father who all loved me," he explained, tears forming in his eyes.

Though she didn't show it, she knew what he was going through. She too had lost her parents at a young age and had watched her Jedi mentor be killed. Perhaps there was truth in this young man's words for though her daughter had not experienced much pain, this man did and knew how he could prevent her from experiencing a similar emptiness in her heart. Then she told him that she decided to go reconcile the past with her daughter in the hopes of beginning a new and excellent relationship with her. Artemis stated his best wishes and decided he would go do the same with his own mother and hope for the best out of that.

Yes Jupiter was her favorite, yes she loved his father, and yes she was honored by each visit that Quintus Superbus gave to Pisces. But now, Artemis was all that was left and she would have to learn to contend with that for the rest of her days. It was the right thing to do, after all.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"Mighella, can I speak with you for a second?" Asajj asked. Mighella turned around from looking at a portrait of Pompey's father with a young Quintus Superbus and gazed at her mother. "Asajj Ventress, mighty Dark Jedi of Count Dooku, come to talk to her daughter at last?" Mighella replied. "Please, this time I'm not meaning to be rude to you at all, I promise," Asajj stated.

"I'm listening," Mighella said. "The reason I left you when you were newly born… was because I failed to recognize that you weren't the source of the pain within my heart. I blamed you for what I had once blamed your father and Count Dooku before you. When I finally realized this, I was on the verge of death and the Clone Wars were near their end," she began.

Mighella nodded and crossed her arms but did nothing more to suggest a remote interest. "Your father wasn't always the horrendous beast who beat and raped me. He was once a hero amongst his own people, a symbol of honor and hope. But even then, his past doomed him to force down the dark path as your great-grandmother took notice of him after I found him. She made him into his pawn and by my order, he killed his youngest brother Feral who he once protected from me.

"Your father had the strength of heart and innocence that you do now. And because of my selfish desire to take revenge against Count Dooku, he lost it forever. When we finally attempted to assassinate that old fool, we were defeated, Savage was broke free of my control, and fled into the galaxy. I thought he had forsaken the Nightsisters and ventured off into the galaxy on his own but when he returned with your uncle, I learned otherwise.

"If your father had not been a monster before he met your uncle, Maul certainly made him into one. While your grandmother managed to dissuade your uncle from the path of the Dark Side, your father wasn't so lucky thanks to Talzin's near-omnipotent influence over him. If he had returned from the destruction of KaiSu Lak'Ton, there would have been no one to control him. No one to stop him from trying to take revenge on your uncle and grandmother or come after me and force me to birth you for him," she said, concluding for a moment.

"So what are you trying to tell me, Mom? You used to be so blunt my vibroblade daggers are sharper than you. Even after they've gone for months without being sharpened," Mighella asked. "What I'm trying to say is that it's natural of me to want to blame someone else for my burden and you were the brunt of my blame at the time, something that should never have happened," Ventress answered.

Mighella's arms became uncrossed at that point and she only stared at her mother as she awaited what they both knew Asajj needed to ask her. "Can you ever forgive me for what I've done to you? Yes, I know it'll probably be a while before you accept me into your heart but I just want to know you forgive me," she finally asked. Mighella looked at her mother for the longest time, her chin repeatedly stroked by her hand in thought as to what to do.

This was what she had come all the way across the galaxy for and now, her mother was offering it to her. Then she said the only thing she knew to say in preparation for what was to come. "You have a long road before you get into my favor but I do forgive you. If you want to gain my favor faster, you'll answer the questions I have for you concerning your life and your journeys in the galaxy," she said.

"Thank you very much Mighella, you won't regret giving me this chance. I will prove that I am worth the trouble and here's how: first, kindly hand me your daggers, please," Asajj replied. Mighella did and when Asajj threw them aside, the younger woman almost spoke up before she saw Asajj hand her the lightsabers she had concealed. "Trust me, these will work better than your daggers, which are useless now," Asajj added as she tossed the daggers into the furnace chute behind her.

"So I just press this button and I can use them exactly like my daggers?" Mighella inquired. Asajj nodded and she stated that lightsabers were much more efficient and portable than the daggers Mighella had. "However, because of the efficiency of the lightsabers and the fact that I'm now weaponless, I would like to ask for your energy bow. You won't need it now that you have my lightsabers," she added.

"You're not going to throw it into the furnace like you did my daggers, are you?" Mighella asked. "Of course not, I still need to be armed in case we face stormtroopers and I'm no longer in shape to use two lightsabers," Asajj answered. Mighella handed her the energy bow for which, Asajj thanked her. "Will that be all for now, mom?" Mighella asked.

"Yeah it will be but before you go, I want you to know that you should go after Artemis. It's clear to me you love him and strange that it isn't clear to you. But then, love is weird like that," Asajj answered with a smile. Mighella blushed and said that she would think about it while she practiced with her two new weapons.

"Don't think about it too long, by the time you've thought about it and decided to tell him he may give up on his own feelings for you. I know he doesn't seem to be the type who would, seeing as he's never fallen in love before but act like he is and you'll find yourself a lot happier when you finally tell him," Asajj warned. "And how would you know this?" Mighella asked. "Because once, I fell in love with a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi, I just never had the damned guts to tell him until it was too late and he had disappeared into the galaxy after Order 66 was issued by the Emperor," Asajj answered.

** "You wish to see me** Artemis?" Queen Isis asked her son. Nodding, Artemis stated that he had a request to make of her. "And what be that, my adopted son?" Isis asked. Artemis hated being reminded of his real mother, Lucretia who had died alongside Pompey in Order 66 but proceed with his request anyway.

"I came to ask your forgiveness because if I had not left Muunilinist, Jupiter would still be here. Quintus would still be alive and my father might never have died," he explained. For the longest time, Isis had nothing to say but instead she intently gazed at the stained-glass window mural of Jupiter and Quintus on the wall. Then she turned to him and she gulped before speaking to her son about what she needed to tell him.

"Your brother was my natural son but I should've realized that because you shared a father with him, you were just as legitimate to the throne as Jupiter had been. But I feared that with Jupiter becoming a Jedi and you not yet of age to begin training, you would be the one to succeed your father and not him," she said after a long period of silence. "You need not fear mother, I have forsaken the throne in favor of my life as a Jedi," he stated. "That is exactly what I fear now that your brother, your father, and Quintus are dead," she said.

"If the worse should befall us both, we always have my uncle to rely upon. Though my cousin is dim on wits, my uncle is not and can perhaps find someone to take his place when he dies," Artemis suggested. "That is one possibility but not one I'd like to gamble on any time soon if I can avoid it," she replied. "But what choice do we have?" he inquired.

"I could return your right to the throne to you and you could rule both as a Jedi and as a King," she explained. "The Jedi are meant to serve, not rule. Unless you would have me devote my life to serving the people as their king, I will not have any of it," he warned. "Is that how you wish to be: a figurehead while the people walk all over you?" she asked.

"No, I would still have enough power to avoid that. However, I would have it reduced to where I can balance the life of a Jedi with the responsibilities of a King. I will have it no other way, mother," he answered. "Then you will never be given the right to the throne, I'm sorry I asked," she stated with tears about to run down her already grief-struck eyes.

"Mother, you have a long life yet to live. Do not fear for the need to call upon a King but if you need satisfaction now, arrange for one of my sisters to be married to a prince who can rule when you're no more. You know that option is always available considering the diversity of the clans on Pisces, most of whom were created based on the ideals of ours," he begged. "I will look into that but for now, we have a more pressing matter to discuss," she agreed.

"Same old Isis that I remember," he retorted with a grin. "This is no joking matter: there is an enemy coming that seeks you but has destroyed several clans in the attempt to find you, Mighella, and her mother Asajj. I have no clue who leads them but they will find our palace soon and we will have to prepare for battle before they do, otherwise we stand no chance," she warned. "The man who most likely leads them is the same one who killed father, my mother, and ordered the deaths of my brother and my master," he suggested.

"And who might that be?" she inquired anxiously. "He calls himself Marcellus Caesarian and he used to be father's second-in-command in his old fleet," he replied. Her face paled with fear at that point and he asked why, knowing she never feared anything before. "Do you not know of the Caesarian Kings who nearly destroyed our world with plans to expand beyond it?" she asked him.

"Quintus never had the chance to indulge the legends to me before we separated," Artemis admitted. Then she decided that was to be expected considering he was fourteen when he had to part ways with Quintus and Jupiter. "The Caesarian Kings were a line of tyrants who wanted nothing more than to dominate Pisces with an iron fist. They had the largest chunk of territory out of all the tribes but they wanted more than that.

"And so they began a worldwide conquest by first destroying and enslaving the tribes nearest to them. Then they started heading westward, southward, and eastward, leading attacks from the north that could not be repelled by individual clans. With that in mind, our clan united with several others in the south and the east with one goal in mind: the prevention of further conquest and the death of the last Caesarian King. We succeeded in defeating the King when we united the pieces of the Armor of the Tribes with the Spear of Kings and the Shield of Queens, dividing his armor into eight pieces, sending his mace and sword to the western and eastern corners of the galaxy.

"We killed the King after that and succeeded in overthrowing his line and dividing his territory for ourselves. However, it would appear as though we didn't succeed in wiping out his line as we thought. And if he's united the pieces of his predecessor's armor, found the two weapons, and gathered this new force then only one hope remains of beating him back. I have to open the underground vault, don on the armor, and wield the Spear and the Shield against him in personal hand-to-hand combat; I doubt that two hundred and thirty-eight years of shame have gone unnoticed," she explained grimly.

"Then ready our troops, get the other women and children out to the mountains, and equip yourself with the pieces used to defeat the Caesarian Kings of old. I doubt Marcellus doesn't know of them nor do I doubt he holds some fear of their significance," he replied. "Yes but not now, we still have to commemorate your father, your brother, and your mentor tonight. And _you _still have to confess your love to Mighella in the best setting I can give: adrift on the Crystal River, watching the lanterns as they ascend to the sky and levitate to the edges of the world," she said.

He blushed but he bowed and thanked her for giving him that note of business to attend to. Then they parted ways, the Queen to contemplate her matters and her stepson to prepare for the night to come. He wanted to make sure that this was a night that Mighella never forgot.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"So we're going out to where the best view is for these lanterns, huh?" Mighella asked. Artemis nodded as he rowed their boat with a double-sided paddle and moved them towards a lake in the river. "Some of the lanterns contain the means for fireworks if shot at so we will be seeing fireworks with them as well," he added. "That would complete the night for me if I got to see fireworks; I've only heard about their beauty from my uncle and grandmother," she stated.

"Yes these ones are beautiful… just like you," he replied. "You really think I'm beautiful?" she asked him. Hearing him make that comment, she feared to stand in case her knees were too weak to support her body. Her mouth became dry with surprise, her arms went numb, and her head ached with the feelings she had for him and for everyone she knew.

_By the Force, does he like me? Does he know that for some reason, I'm finding myself drawn to him? _she asked herself with increasing fright. "Here we are, now it's only a matter of time before the lanterns take off and we get the fireworks exploding as well," he told her. "I'm excited," she said.

He put the oar down and sat back as he awaited the lanterns that would commemorate his brother, father, and former Master. "If you don't mind me asking Artemis, is this done every time someone in or associated with the royal family passes away?" Mighella asked. "Yes, it's a tradition that goes back to the beginning of our world, before the Caesarian Kings who once tried to rule our world through military might and tyranny," he answered with a nod. "Those must have been rough times," she said.

"They happened more than two hundred years and some of the effects of their attempt are still felt today. So yes, I imagine that when it happened it was very rough indeed," he admitted. "But I guess, the touch of your hands won't be as rough as the Caesarian Kings," she said. He looked up at her with an eyebrow raised and a smile across his face.

_Oh no, now I've gone and done it! Mighella, you idiot _she thought to herself. "Care to find out?" he asked. That surprised her and she nodded, the only response she could give at this point.

He took off the gloves on his hand and touched her cheeks with both hands. Shivering, she took in the warmth of his hands and even grabbed one of them with both of her hands. She pulled it to her heart so that he knew the intensity of its beat and he did the same for one of hers. "Is this smooth enough for you?" he asked, his face seeming to light up as he gazed into her eyes.

"The smoothest sensation I've ever felt," she said as he began stroking her cheek with his thumb. She even took it into her mouth at one point, playing with it and giggling when he raised an eyebrow again. "You don't know the first thing about falling in love, do you?" he inquired. "Do you?" she replied after shaking her head and releasing his thumb.

He shrugged in admission of that point then pointed out the rising lanterns. Mighella watched, spellbound, as the lanterns rose and while ones with white lights were spared the ones with any other color were shot. Red, blue, orange, green, pink, and purple fireworks exploded in the sky, dazzling it with a beauty that Mighella had never seen in her life before. "You look really beautiful with the fireworks behind you, you know that right?" Artemis asked her.

"And you look handsome without them, you know _that_ right?" she snapped. "If only there was some way I could tell you what I really need to say," he said, hesitating after he said that. "Say it like it is or else just shut up and kiss me, you idiot," she replied. "I don't really have much of a choice, do I?" he asked.

"No, you don't have one at all," she said as she knelt down on all fours and crawled up to him until her face was mere inches from his own. "Then I guess I'll take the kissing part over what I thought I had to say," he said. After that, he leaned his face in and his lips collided with her as his clean hand held her face and his scarred one went down to her waist and pulled her closer to him. But as she let herself be held in his arms, her eyes slipped to the scar across his right hand and she asked how he got that.

"A Sith assassin named Luxor once tried to kill me fourteen months ago. I escaped the attempt but not without nearly losing my hand and this scar is what resulted from that," he answered, hating the very memory of that beast of an assassin. "Perhaps I can mend it with my lips," she said as she kissed his scarred hand. "Come here you," he said before pulling him back toward himself and holding her close to him, his head in nested on her chest.

His hands glided across her back but one eventually settled on the back of her head and another laid itself just above her backside. Her legs were crisscrossed his lower waist area as well and she held his head in one of her hands while her other arm laid across his back. After making sure their bodies were locked to each other, they continued to flood each other with kisses as the fireworks continued. At last, they had revealed the depths of their feelings for each other simply by holding and kissing one another; no sex, not even any talk of it, just being held and kissed was all they needed in that small space in time.

** "Has Ventress left to beseech** the Warbeast-Riding tribes of the East already?" the Queen asked as the fireworks continued their powerful display. "Yes milady, she left before the fireworks began and is confident she can be back in no more than four days. We have sent another emissary with the same intentions to your brother in the west," her handmaiden answered as she bowed. "Then have the Captain ready his Guard and tell the General his army needs to be ready in no more than four days; though I doubt the enemy will arrive in that time, I do want to be ready when they arrive," Isis ordered.

The maiden bowed and pardoned herself from the Queen's chambers to carry out her will. Another maiden came along with the pieces of the armor and prepared to dress her up in it. "Tell me Lucia, do you trust your Queen?" Isis asked her. "I will follow you, milady, to whatever end we meet," the maiden answered sincerely.

_To whatever end… _she thought to herself. "Where is my husband when I need him? Where is Jupiter when his advice would work to comfort me and strengthen my resolve," she asked, thinking aloud. "If anywhere milady, they should be in your mind and in your heart, providing you comfort and wisdom through your memory of them," the handmaiden stated. "You are wise my dear, perhaps you should fight with me in the battle," she joked to ease the tension.

"Milady, I would if it weren't for the fact that the other women and children will need to head into the mountains once the fighting starts," Lucia replied. "You know your duties and you know you need to perform them in order for our people to survive. How long do you think it will take for all the other women and children out into the mountains?" Isis asked. "Besides the four days you've given already for the arrival of the enemy, it would take another five after that to evacuate everyone and three for all the people to reach the mountains," Lucia answered with a shrug.

"In that case, our greatest efforts will be to make sure that the women and children get to the mountains in time for us to close the passage to the enemy. Once we've secured that, we will have victory no matter what the outcome of the rest of the battle turns out to be," Isis stated. "A Queen and a King must both be willing to die for the people that allowed them to come to the throne without testimony or fear of tyranny," Lucia agreed. "Do you think I'm a tyrant?" Isis inquired.

"No milady, I was merely stating what I think a King and a Queen should do for their people," Lucia answered quickly. "In that case, you have a very excellent train of thought that should be continued into the future. Who knows what will happen after we part ways for me to defend this place and for you to lead the people into the mountains," Isis said with a smile. "Your armor's ready and fit on you, milady; shall I go fetch your shield and spear?" Lucia asked.

Isis nodded and when Lucia returned with them, she examined how she looked with the spear and shield in tow in the mirror. Alongside the armor, she seemed ready to battle any enemy whether of Caesarian descent or not. Smiling, she thanked Lucia for readying this and told her to have the people begin the evacuation as soon as the commemoration of her husband, oldest son, and friend had ended.

"Yes my Queen, I don't suppose we'll be seeing you again," Lucia said as she bowed. "If I survive the fight with this son of the Caesarian vermin, you will see me again. But if I do not, I have made arrangements for my eldest daughter to be married off to the Duke of the North's oldest son, saving the throne from falling to Chaos. Best part is, he has another son who can take his place when he himself passes away," Isis replied.

"In that case milady, I wish you all the best and beg you to kick his ass when he arrives," she said, smiling as she said it and left to prepare for her travel. Isis smiled, knowing she was going to miss Lucia and wondered if their paths would ever cross again. She had never fought a war before but luckily, she had her General to help her make a plan out and prepare her for her inevitable date with destiny. However, she had a feeling that with Artemis and Mighella at her side, there wouldn't be too much to worry about even if they were impossibly outnumbered.

** Marcellus looked at the** atmosphere of Pisces from the bridge of his Star Destroyer with a zealous, wide smile. _Soon my people will be avenged and the Queen of the Tiberius Clan will be made to pay for her ancestor's insults against my forebears _he thought to himself happily. "Luxor, are our forces ready for the final push towards the Tiberius family that rules Pisces and fosters the Jedi and his companions?" he asked the Dark Jedi. "I have ordered all one hundred and twenty thousand troops to go ahead and move forward towards their castle, all we have to do is meet up with them on the Golden Fields of the Ancients," Luxor answered.

"Good, then I will don on my armor, pack my mace and sword, and join you for the ride. I have a Queen I need to visit before I kill her myself," Marcellus said. Luxor bowed and said he would get the shuttle ready for their arrival onto the surface of the planet. Marcellus smiled and told Luxor to make sure he did that by the time he had completed his preparations. He was feeling very confident especially since the other tribes had fallen to subjugation or else been annihilated from the face of the galaxy.

Now he would get the one that mattered most while acquiring the rights to the cortosis on Pisces, capturing Ventress, her daughter, and executing Artemis himself. Assuming that Luxor didn't kill him beforehand, that is. He would have to watch the assassin who was defiant even in service to Marcellus much like he himself had been under Pompey. The only difference was, Luxor had similar tastes to Marcellus which still kept him under his thumb for the moment.

But hopefully, after the success of this mission, the Emperor would order Luxor to be reassigned elsewhere as the cyborg Phobos had been after his failure on Coruscant. It would certainly keep their already-rocky relationship from taking a turn for the worst and seeing to the death of one or both of them. But he did not fear death during the mission to Pisces considering that what he did would be done to avenge the people of his line, the Caesarian Kings who once ruled with an iron fist. _I, however, shall rule with a durasteel fist when I'm done here! _he vowed to himself with anger mounting in his thoughts slowly.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

"Think you can make the run to my uncle in time to be back for the defense of the castle?" Artemis asked. "Hey, I've got Force Speed, right? It's all I need to run halfway across the Western Plains and come back in time for dinner. Which, considering you're taking me out to it, doesn't sound all that bad wouldn't you agree?" Mighella answered.

"Here's the scroll, if that's the case. Run hard and don't look back except to come home," he said before kissing her on the cheek. She took the scroll and made her dash while he timed her going out the room, down the palace's six floors, outside the building, and across two-hundred thirty-five miles of Plains plus the five floors of the Viscount of the Northwest's grand Palace. After about five minutes, he sat down on their shared bed to continue timing her, his feet tapping the floor as he did so.

In about another ten minutes or so, she returned with a response from the Viscount and the news was good. The Viscount had agreed to offer reinforcements to his cousin, the Queen, and would be on his way with his army in a couple of hours. They would take the Plains road and be there by sundown of tomorrow at which point they would help set fortifications for the fight. Asajj had reported success with the Warbeasts of the East who already had problems relating to the Imperials but could afford to send a dozen mounted caravans to their aid.

"Why only a dozen?" Mighella asked. "Because even though the Imperials have figured out how to kill them, a dozen Warbeasts managed to kill twenty thousand troops when combined into one massive fighting unit," Artemis answered. "And how many dozens do they have available?" she continued. "That's the only one they can send to us but including that, they have five dozen," he replied. "So wait a sec, if they have four dozen fighting the Imps right now and each dozen can kill twenty thousand, how has Marcellus managed to keep himself supplied with troops to this point?" she asked, confused as to the numbers they currently had.

"Marcellus managed to catch the southern tribes in a Star Destroyer crossfire but the northernmost ones were surprised by ambush. Long before they had a chance to even nick the armor of the Imperials I might add. However, the Warbeasts of the East are called that because they managed to subdue the entire Eastern Hemisphere with no more than about seven or eight dozen caravans. And their base of operations is situated in an area where surprise attack is impossible, making it easy for these men and women to fight Imperial forces," he explained.

"Well, one thing I will say: if they'll be coming from the East, they will have plenty of space in which to smash up some stormtroopers if we can stall them until then," she stated proudly. "Yes sweetie and behind these walls, we'll outlast any supplies they have and demoralize them so much that Marcellus will abandon the campaign if he knows what's good for him," he replied with the same confidence. "But if he's gone mad with power, we'll still beat his head in anyway, it'll just be more fun doing so when he shows up himself," she said, giggling as she said it. "Yeah, we'll have a good time except for the part where his Dark Jedi Luxor is going to be accompanying him on this run _and _he's coming here personally," he said.

"The guy who gave you the scar on your hand, am I correct?" she asked him. He nodded and said that he had been training to beat him and hopefully bring him to custody for his crimes in exchange for pardon on his own crime of being a Jedi Knight. However, he _was _willing to take vengeance for his brother and his hand if Luxor refused to cooperate when defeated by him. "Luxor won't go down easy just for capture, if I have to kill him it's going to be a whole new ballgame," he added.

"Don't worry about it until you face him, you've got it planned out even if he plans to die, right? That should be enough until we get to the actual fighting and not a moment sooner," she said, trying to comfort him. "Yeah, you're right, I shouldn't worry about it when I don't have to carry out my plan yet," he said before kissing her directly on her small lips. "So now that I'm back, what do you say we go out for a night on the town, have some dinner at one of your favorite restaurants before it's closed due to the upcoming battle with Marcellus?" she asked with a smile.

"You know what? That actually doesn't sound too bad now that I think about it more," he admitted. She got up first and prepared to leave when he gave a light smack to her backside, prompting her to goad him into racing her. "Think you can keep up, little man?" she joked. "You should be more worried about what I'll do to that behind once I catch up than if I can even get you in the first place," he said, joking back before they began their romantic race.

**"Are all forces in** position?" the Queen, Isis, asked. "Yes milady and your cousin, the Viscount will arrive with four thousand more by tomorrow evening. Though it's not much, it will bring our three thousand closer to ten," her Captain answered. "And the Warbeast Riders of the East?" she inquired.

"They're sending a dozen to our aid, it'll be a slower go but they're definitely on their way here. If we hold, we can expect them here in at least the day after the Viscount arrives if not a little later," he replied. "Seven thousand and twelve… against a hundred thousand, forgetting their additional artillery. I don't like our chances here, dear Captain," she stated.

"Milady, we can counter their artillery with our triple-gun cannon and our two single barrels if they're stupid enough to come within their range. Besides that, it's mostly soldiers who are not even elite and will seek to overwhelm us in their sheer quantity. We have quality in our small numbers and will definitely be able to take a massive chunk out of them if victory is impossible," he said, attempting to calm down her fears. "We've never lost a war since the days of the Caesarian Kings, Captain and I don't intend to be the first defeated ruler of our people in two hundred years," she replied.

"The Captain makes a valid point, my Queen. Even if we are doomed to fail, we will take a massive chunk out of their numbers before we go. Massive enough to where any other tribes who used our fighting time to unite and gather power can finish them off in our place if I may say so, myself," the General interjected sternly. "On top of that, you've got the Spear of Kings, the Shield of Queens, and the Armor of the Tribes should the Caesarian scum choose to join the battle. We will be victorious in the glory we take if victory is not to be the outcome of our stand," the Captain agreed.

"I hope you're right because if we fail, the Caesarian scion will surely destroy everything and everyone he can get his hands on. He will stop at nothing to wipe out the very existence of our people from the tongues and memory of those both here and outside our planet," she stated. "If that's his plan, he's got a long road before he succeeds _if_ he can even get through the Outer Wall, never mind to our city," the Captain stated proudly. "And since our troops are situated within the Inner Wall rather than the Outer, he will _have _to bring it down in order to kill a single person," the General agreed with equal pride.

"Plus, the Viscount's soldiers are some of the finest archers and swordsmen I have ever known. With their fortifications in the hollows of the Inner Wall and on the City Plateau just at the Gate (upon arrival), it'll be a long time before the enemy can break through our defenses if they can do so, at all," the Captain added. "Long enough for the other women and children to complete their trip into the mountain caves?" Isis asked them suddenly. Both nodded in agreement and smiles bore across their face when they realized they would be fulfilling the purpose of their hold in stalling the enemy.

"Then you are both dismissed until further notice. Report back to your stations and await any and all further orders from me," she said. Both men bowed and marched out of her chambers, proud that they had renewed her confidence in the abilities of their soldiers and their own Queen. She had to admit the Captain was right about the Viscount's soldiers being amongst the finest and knew that with their help, she could hope to hold out until the Easterners successfully arrived. Now, it was only a matter of sitting and waiting for the struggle to begin and for all factions to be ready to fight to the death to fulfill their ambitious goals.

** "Imagine it Luxor, soon,** the Empire will be reaping the benefits of our conquest and I will retire a rich man. And you, dear friend, will be credited as the finest agent to ever aid my success and my rise to the wealth and esteem of a favorite of the Emperor," Marcellus stated. "If you believe you will _ever _be a favorite of that wrinkled freak, you've got another fight coming up. Your arrogance and your apparent desire to satisfy some kind of vengeance from your past will only consume you before the Emperor _ever _bestows any favors upon your liking," the Dark Jedi hissed.

"What has you so certain about that, my dear colleague?" Marcellus asked. "You have the best troops in that they can overwhelm their enemy with their sheer quantity. If what you've said about our enemy is true, it is likely that they will beat us back with the _quality _of their own troops. Your cockiness will give way to our defeat whether at the hand of these people or by those who use their fighting time to unite against us and finish what your current enemy has started," Luxor answered.

"If you're so certain, then why do you remain here?" Marcellus inquired, rising an eyebrow in deep suspicion. "First, I was ordered to do so by Lord Vader so as to watch you and see if your madness took you. Second, there is a personal vendetta this allows me the chance to fulfill concerning the young Jedi Knight called Artemis Tiberius. Once I kill him, I will withdraw my support to your cause assuming Vader does not give me the order to complete our little dark-room protocol first," Luxor explained.

"I knew it! You and Lord Vader were always jealous of my ability to lead an army! No matter, once I control Pisces I will prove you both wrong and finally gain some favor from the Emperor himself. You will not be able to touch me then unless you risked the full weight of the Empire itself crashing upon you!" Marcellus exclaimed.

"For your information, I am more than a hundred and fifty years old thanks to a curse by a Sith Lord called Darth Tenebrous. I have survived this long because as a price of the curse, I was given the ability to become one with the shadow. So much so that even the most powerful Jedi Knight in the Order could never find me; Master Yoda himself could never sense me even when I went into the Temple to steal information for a cure," Luxor warned. "But you can be killed in combat; I will be watching and hoping that Artemis destroys you if you are indeed willing to kill me should Lord Vader give you the order," Marcellus replied.

"No Jedi has ever managed to kill me or my brother, who also shared the curse until Jupiter defeated him. It took a combination of Jar'Kai and saberstaff techniques in order to do that and I don't think Artemis stands a chance of beating me unless he has something better," Luxor said. "I have known the boy a long time and though he may seem weak, he is strong as a typhoon and _will _be the end of you if he uses his greatest strengths against your own," Marcellus replied with a deep laugh. "We will see Marcellus, we will most definitely see if he holds up to your standard," Luxor stated.

After that, they watched as their troops continued their march toward the city of Pisces itself. Their purpose, same as Luxor and Marcellus, was to destroy the people there and wipe their very existence from the face of the galaxy. But since most were basic infantry stormtroopers, one had to wonder if they had the ability to succeed where hundreds of sieges and decade-long wars had failed before. Would they succeed where the Caesarian Kings had failed in defeating the Tiberius Clan in a fair engagement of military combat? Or would they be defeated same as those ancient enemies that tested the might of a small clan with all the right morale?


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"Damn Artemis that was some good food. I think I gained ten pounds, half of it going to my butt after that. Does my butt look like it grew a couple pounds?" Mighella joked. "Depends, can I touch or just look?" he joked back.

"How rude Artemis, you know gentlemen don't ask that!" she exclaimed with a giggle. "You're right, gentlemen don't but Jedi Princes do," he replied, winking at her as he said it. "All right fine, you can touch but you'll have to catch me first," she said. "After all that food, it'll probably be impossible for me to catch up; maybe keep up but not catch you," he said.

"Precisely why you gotta chase after me," she told him. She jogged away at regular speed instead of using Force Speed and he decided to do the same. "You're lucky Jedi play fair otherwise, I definitely might have caught you just now," he stated as he chased her down to the grassy town square. "Oh shut up and chase me, you imbecile," she replied.

Shrugging, he followed her into the grass and managed to catch her after putting a little exertion on his jog. However, he didn't do it without lunging at her and catching her legs before falling. Both of them tripped and fell to the ground, Mighella laughing as he pulled her closer to himself until they could look each other in the eyes. He hugged her at that point and nudged his head into her chest, vowing to never let go so long as they weren't need for the upcoming fight.

"You always going to fall on me when we're on a romantic chase through the night?" she asked. "Only on days when you're there for me to catch you," he answered with a massive smile. Then they kissed as the rain fell from the skies above and not only thickened their hair but gave them a reason to hold each other since the rains brought ice-cold temperatures with them. "Is it always this cold when it rains here?" she asked.

"Not normally no, it's actually normally warmer when it rains than when it doesn't at about this time of year. Weird as that may sound, it's the way it's been for as long as I can remember. Something about the rain always warmed my soul and strengthened my body as though I were a child of some sky god," he answered. "You are a sky god… to me," she said before pulling him close to her for warmth.

"Excuse me milord, milady, but the Queen needs you both front and center," a soldier said rather suddenly. "Thank you good sir, tell her we'll be on our way soon," Artemis replied. "No fun tonight, huh?" Mighella asked. "When we win the battle, I think we'll be too full of energy for anything but fun," he answered with a wink.

"I hope so, I'd be damned disappointed if it were otherwise," she said as she followed him back to the Inner Wall. "So would I, little missy. So would I," he replied in agreement. When they arrived, every soldier was gathered and the Viscount's army was prepared to add their volley to the count of energy arrows flying at the approaching enemy on this night.

** "Unless my eyes have** cheated me, the Imperial Stormtroopers have brought some heavy artillery with them to this little battle," Isis stated. Artemis nodded and squinted to get a better look at what it could be that they brought here. "It looks as though they've brought in three AT-AT walkers and two AT-STs as well," he stated passively. "What are those?" the Queen asked.

"They're massive vehicles armed with cannons that can destroy the entire Outer Wall and the Gate of the Inner Wall with ease," he answered. "Does they have any immediate weaknesses?" she inquired. "You can use the triple-barrel cannon to shoot the heads of AT-ATs due to their slow movement. But you'd have to be real patient and quick with the single barrel to destroy the AT-STs before they get close enough to bring down the wall," he explained with a simple nod.

"Sounds like a plan to me, my son. Will you be the one to order the first volley? I feel like assigning my General to leading the charges of the troops should the enemy get past the Outer Wall," Queen Isis asked. Artemis nodded and said that he would use his lightsaber as an indicators to the soldiers as to when they could use their energy bows against the enemy.

Mighella was at the Keep's Gate and would wait for when stormtroopers tried to get past the Keep and into the city itself with two hundred Lancer soldiers. "Now all we need to do is wait for the march on our city to begin from their end of the field," Isis said, thinking aloud. "I have a feeling it won't be long before they send the first charge in, they'll start big like they always do in case their firs legion is enough to overwhelm us," Artemis stated. "That's comforting, _not_!" she retorted.

** Marcellus looked through his** macrobinoculars and was disappointed to see what was standing before him. "Is this it? Is this all the descendants of the Caesarian enemies can conjure against me?" he asked aloud. "Do _not _be over-ecstatic to destroy your enemies and avenge your ancestors; according to the histories, your ancestors had an army twenty times the size of this one and they were still defeated by the same number of soldiers we now face," Luxor warned.

"True but the difference between myself and my ancestors is that I bear an army with more powerful technological advances. I don't need to rely on the biological and chemical warfare my ancestors used to make their soldiers seem superior to this pathetic scum," Marcellus replied. _Suit yourself but don't say I didn't warn you when their warriors' skills with their armaments packs a hellish punch to our numbers as they will _Luxor thought but did not say. "Send the first wave in: no more than twenty thousand," Marcellus ordered.

Using the comlink customization on his mechanical arm, Luxor sent the codes out for the first wave to begin their assault. After plugging them in and giving the order, his arms returned to a crossed position and stood beside Marcellus. Though the Dark Jedi was no genius of warfare like say Thrawn or a cunning mastermind like the Emperor, he knew enough about animal mentality to know the Pisces would fight. He also knew they would fight hard enough to make their performance memorable even to Lords Vader and Palpatine long after they had been destroyed; and that was just assuming the troops actually succeeded in the deed.

** "You were right Artemis,** they are sending the first wave in and it looks like they're sending in twenty thousand now," Isis stated. "Shall I order the first volley then, mother?" Artemis asked. "Order the man to be ready but hold them steady until the Imperials come within range. After that, give the order at your convenience," she answered.

He nodded and told her to make sure that the Captain had the cannons ready in case the Imperials sent their heaviest artillery after this. She nodded and did just that, receiving the nod that the cannons were ready from the Captain who returned to make sure it remained so. The General also gave her his heads up that he was ready to charge into the battle whenever he was needed to do so. She nodded back at him then he proudly resumed his place with the Viscount's men who would have their bows ready if Artemis also ordered their aid in the volley.

Artemis held his lightsaber high in the air both as a visual for his men and as a signal to Luxor of his presence in the battle to save his people from their doom. And as he did so, he watched as the distance between the Outer Wall and the stormtroopers shrank rather rapidly. He liked that and even smiled as they came into range and he ordered the volley that would almost surely destroy them. "Fire!" he shouted loudly as he swung his lightsaber down to point at the scum below.

The soldiers knew better than to stop and deliver blow after punishing blow. Their delivery was so rapid that the twenty thousand were coming under heavy fire in a matter of minutes. As if that wasn't bad enough, their numbers were reduced to almost none before fifteen standard minutes were up, the volley was that unrelenting. The stormtroopers who remained before twenty minutes then made the foolish mistake of making a retreat, exposing themselves to even more fire.

Though normally the Jedi Code forbade such action, Artemis ordered his men to spare no one, choosing to forsake the rules for the greater cause of saving his own people. The remaining troops were wiped out before they even had a chance to report their failure to Marcellus and Luxor. Smiling, he lifted his lightsaber back up and told the General to have his men stand by for the next one since his people's bows would need time to recharge their energy. They were going to need to collaborate as much as possible anyway if they were to survive this rainy night until Ventress arrived with the Easterners' available help.

"Is it endemic of the Imperials to believe that their numbers will overcome anything?" Isis asked when she had a chance to speak to her stepson once more. "Not always though they do the majority of the time they're on any campaign against anyone they don't exactly like, like us for example," he answered, smiling and laughing after he spoke. "Nice but be on the vigil for when they send more our way, they'll undoubtedly do just that," she said after joining him in the laugh. Nodding, he resumed his vigil and made sure the General received his signal (swinging his lightsaber in an arc) to fire when the next wave arrived.

** "Luxor, did I just** see what I think I saw?" Marcellus asked his assassin. _Figure that out for yourself, you moron _Luxor thought. Aloud though, he stated, "Yes you did, your troopers were wiped out by the intensity of your enemy's abilities as master archers." "In that case, order the rest of our army to enter the fray and have the walkers begin their travel to their targets too," Marcellus ordered.

With an exaggerated sigh, Luxor plugged the codes for the orders into his arm and watched as the orders were carried out. "I tell you, if enough stormtroopers fall and our walkers are destroyed, our hand may be forced into this one," he warned after obeying his order. "That's precisely what I want, especially since Isis and her son will be drawn out by the time our hand is forced," Marcellus replied. "An impulsive and foolish thing to do in the face of a battle with the stocks of soldiers that we have," Luxor said silently.

"You keep talking defiantly like you are now and you will find yourself with orders for your execution signed by the Emperor when this is over," Marcellus warned with a slight snarl. _I highly doubt the Emperor will want me dead simply because I keep an eye on your ego _Luxor thought as he watched the walkers make their slow, cumbersome way to the enemy city's Outer Wall.

** "Holy shit! There's no** way Marcellus is that foolish after our little demonstration! He's sending _everything _our way now!" Artemis shouted in surprise. He proceeded with the same wait while his stepmother looked on in disbelief.

And when they were in range, he was quick to deliver the signal and see the Viscount's men beginning their part in this massive siege. If they kept it up long enough, Isis' men would have recharged their bows and could resume their bombardment while the Viscount's do the same for their bows. His single greatest fear was that the bows would all run out of energy permanently before they were even halfway through the numbers the Imperials had sent against them at this moment. Fears that had the likelihood of being realized considering that he would also have to order the use of the cannons now that the AT-AT and AT-ST walkers began making their cumbersome way toward the Outer Wall of the city.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Maul had sensed the beginning of the great battle long before he saw any visions of it. Though he could not foresee what would happen to Mighella, he knew that since she had managed to find her mother, her goal was completed. However, he still had to wonder if that would mean she'd be coming home soon as well or if she would still like to live her life outside of Ruusan. Despite the fact that he now had no worry for Mighella in whatever she did, he did decide to clean out the _Scimitar _in case he felt the need to come back into action.

Fourteen years of hiding were not about to be disrupted unless it was to save his home or his niece but he liked being prepared. It was how he and Savage had managed to get themselves out of most problems that came upon them during the Clone Wars. From the bounty on their heads to surviving the wrath of Darth Sidious, they had beaten it all except for each other. Maul knew that Savage would have been a bloodthirsty killer if he had been allowed to escape KaiSu Lak'Ton but he regretted making his niece fatherless.

Every girl needed their father as much as their mother and Mighella had had neither in her life. That is, until she met her birth mother Asajj but even then the older woman had probably not viewed Mighella as her daughter initially. Besides, what would have persuaded her to change views during the years between Mighella's birth and their first meeting? Asajj was not one to apologize nor show perceived weakness with anyone who might be of relation to her.

_I wonder, will Sidious take kindly of the relationship between Ventress and my niece? Or will he want to destroy them both _he asked himself silently. The answer was obvious but Maul still liked asking such questions anyway for the fun of it all. After all, Sidious was the one who originally created Maul to be a weapon of destruction.

** The battle was going** surprisingly well for the forces defending Pisces. On their end, they had managed to destroy the AT-ATs and AT-STs and killed countless thousands within hours. However, the Imperials kept coming and Artemis knew it wasn't long before they would try to climb over the wall. His fears were confirmed when they started bringing in ladders that would help them ascend the Inner Wall.

Since the Outer Wall had been knocked down by the AT-ATs about an hour before, the Inner Wall remained between the Imperials and their beloved city. Worse, the energy batteries in the energy bows were dangerously low on power and would soon be detonated. If they went any lower, the soldiers would be forced to throw them in order to prevent the explosion of the bows from killing them all. But then it occurred to him: if they got to an explosive point, he could have them be used as grenades against the enemy, temporarily throwing them off.

He relayed this idea to the General, the Viscount's men, and the Queen's army. Signaling the soldiers to continue firing until an explosion was imminent (except those in the farthest back) then throw the bows at the enemy. "At the very least, we'll put another dent in the Imperial numbers before they get over the walls. Besides, we'll need a diversion in order to draw our swords from when they get the ladders connected to our wall," he explained calmly.

Isis made sure the order was relayed even to Mighella's men in the Keep who were the most likely to strike first under Artemis' current idea. "With our luck and my speed, I think the idea will work out beautifully what with defending the Keep and all that," she said as she sliced several stormtroopers into pieces with her lightsabers. "Use your Force Speed if you have to but I want every last bow used as a grenade before we're through," Artemis said just as he was remembering that he would need to do that himself. He knew that the General and the Viscount's armies were not going to be able to follow their instructions in time to save themselves.

So he had the General tell him when the soldiers' bows would soon explode and he would collect them all. It didn't take long for that to happen considering that the volleys were still flying and Imperials were still falling victim to the power of the energy bolts. When the General relayed the signal, Artemis used Force Speed to collect the bows and throw them over in near simultaneity until they had no more to offer. Then his final orders were staged: draw swords and raise shields for the final fight that had been inevitable all this time.

**"It would appear as though** the scum has forced our hand, Luxor," Marcellus stated with a sigh. _Isn't that what you wanted this whole time? _the Dark Jedi asked silently. Both men climbed down from the boulder they had been standing on and marched toward the Walls of Pisces City. At last, Marcellus would have a chance to personally send the descendants of those who killed his ancestors to the depths of Hell for their treachery.

Best part was, he got to do it while also having the opportunity to capture a Nightsister who wielded Force Speed. Lords Vader and Palpatine would be pleased and indulge his pleasures beyond the measure of any officer before or since. With mace and sword in hand, he would do what none of his line had done before. He would kill the current ruler of Pisces and restore the glory days of the Caesarian Kings.

"Bring in our secret weapon!" Marcellus shouted to nearby troopers who had yet to fight. Smiling beneath his helmet, he listened as Luxor asked in confusion what this secret weapon was. "It's our ticket through the gates and into the Keep, my friend. Once that falls, there is nothing that can stop us from taking the city forcibly," Marcellus replied.

Before Luxor could ask what he meant by that, a four-legged turret made its way down from the mountains and unto the level ground below its metal feet. "You're not going to blast the gate open are you?" Luxor asked. "You guessed my intention correctly friend, be happy that we're doing this and may possibly kill Artemis in the process," Marcellus answered.

When it was ready, Marcellus swung his sword up first then back down to signal a round to be fired. "This battle ends now and we start with this cannon," Marcellus said, thinking aloud. Luxor watched as a shell of energy was fired and made its way for the Gate of the Inner Wall of their enemy's fortifications.

**Artemis knew what was** coming the moment he saw the blob-like speck of red in the dark, rainy skies. "Retreat, retreat to the Keep!" he shouted immediately. However, he was too late as the bolt slammed into the gates and caused a powerful explosion. It marked the first real casualties amongst their soldiers and saw to Artemis' first real battle scars.

When he arose from the rubble at the bottom of the wall, his sleeves were torn to his armpits, a leg of his pants were ripped, and dust saturated itself on what remained of his robes. He saw the General about to relay his retreat order but he shouted for the General to not do that but instead, he had another task in mind. "The Viscount's men will stall the Imperials long enough for the others to get into the Keep and remain on the defensive!" he stated. After that, the General nodded and relayed the orders for the attack to the Viscount's men, who activated collapsible shields and unsheathed their swords.

"Charge into the enemy, for victory and for glory! Fight with honor, die with naught but the courage that such honor brings to all!" the General commanded as he joined the battle. All four thousand soldiers devoted themselves to nothing short of holding back the Imperials for as long as possible. Their highest priority was to make sure that all the Queen's soldiers were gathered at the Keep with Mighella and allowed to continue defending the city where they would be most effective: in chokehold spaces like the inside of the Keep.

Artemis volunteered his lightsaber to the fight and was the first to reach the Imperials due partly to his ability to deflect their fire. Disregarding the Jedi Code even further, he cut them down without any remorse in full knowledge that they had shown none to the Jedi they slew in Order 66 and the Purge that followed. He could hear his master faintly telling him that he should be holding back the darkness within him but Artemis knew that the darkness within him was what had gotten him here. It was this same darkness that would help him to fight all enemies of the Jedi Order and bring back the reign of the Light Side of the Force.

** While her stepson was** helping the General fight off the stormtroopers who got through the Gate, Isis noticed an ominous figure approaching. Lo and behold, this figure had the armor, mace, and sword of the last Caesarian King who her great-great-grandfather defeated. Alongside him was a man with a weapon just like Artemis' lightsaber and she knew they were going to cause trouble for the General, the Captain, and the forces of Pisces. That is, if she did not do something to aid in their stalling and somehow notify Artemis of the assassin with the lightsaber headed directly his way.

However, the stormtroopers were too many for her to use the normal route. So instead, she jumped out a window and used one side of her spear to slow down her fall. Her shield was out in front of her in case Imps tried to fire at her but none did due to the attention the Viscount's soldiers gave them. When she was close enough to the ground, she allowed herself to freefall the rest of the way, her spirit lightening rather than growing heavy. When she rose up, she raised her spear and shield into phalanx formation then issued the challenge.

"Caesarian, I challenge you! Fight me if you truly desire to avenge your ancestors," she shouted. When he turned and saw her, she knew she had his attention especially when he marched toward her and used his mace to kill any soldier who blocked him. This even went as far as to include stormtroopers unfortunate enough to cross his path.

When he arrived, she held her ground although she gulped before the sight of the Caesarian Armor united with the Sword and Mace of the King. "Fight me or else I will cast your soul into the hellfire that awaits you and consumes your ancestors even now," she warned him, pointing her spear at him for further emphasis. "Do you not know death when you see it, foolish Queen? This is _my _hour," he said just before attacking her first.

**Artemis heard the conversation** taking place between his mother and Marcellus and knew she would be no match for him. For one, he was young and strong while she had just barely ended her primal years. In addition, he was ruthless and relentless where she would need time and a whole lot of defense on her side. Fortunately, Marcellus was not joined by Luxor though that prompted Artemis to wonder where the Dark Jedi was.

His curiosity was satisfied when he heard Marcellus order Luxor to kill Artemis. _Well at least Marcellus didn't come without his favorite lap dog _Artemis thought to himself as Luxor rapidly approached. The younger Jedi continued to cut down stormtroopers and defend the Wall until Luxor ordered them to ignore Artemis and keep with the assault on the Keep and the City. "Luxor, we meet again at last," Artemis stated when the Dark Jedi finally arrived.

"Indeed we do Artemis, how's the scar healing? I hear you still have both your hands despite how I nearly made it otherwise," Luxor replied enthusiastically. "Oh yes I still have both my hands on me and no artificial replacements despite your best efforts to make it otherwise. Tell me, would you care to know how strong they have become since that fateful duel on Tatooine?" Artemis asked as he raised his lightsaber to face his old nemesis. Luxor replied happily by starting the duel off with his aggressive use of Juyo against his own Soresu.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Mighella had managed to get more than half of the three thousand troops behind the walls of the Keep before it was impossible to keep the gates open any longer. In that time, she had managed to use the explosive property of the energy bows to full benefit and now the men relied on their swords and shields. Now, the Keep was beginning to fall and she was concerned that her mother had failed to convince the Easterners to aid their cause whether by failure of persuasion or she fell to Imperials crossfire. Though she didn't like to think of that, she was beginning to wonder if she would ever make it out alive but then something popped into her head.

When Ventress and Mighella had last talked, they discovered a massive horn at the top of the Keep's tower. The Captain had told them that it was used in emergencies such as when allies were needed to win a war such as in this case. "One of you guys go up the tower and blow the horn, if any further aid is nearby they will hear it and come!" she ordered the soldiers. Before leaving, Ventress had stated that if the forces of Pisces were still holding out after on day of combat, Mighella was to send one of the soldiers to blow the horn.

What she realized was that not only would it let Ventress know they were still alive but it would also let her know it wouldn't remain that way for too much longer. Deflecting blaster fire, she noticed that a young boy was making his way to fulfill her command and she smiled. If a kid was brave enough to go do it then these older soldiers were brave enough to hold the Keep at least until he blew the horn. She even made it clear to the men that if they couldn't hold their own then the boy was far braver than they were, which turned on their thirst blood and caused them to attack the Imperials with the ferocity of wild animals.

"Drive them out of the Keep and back onto the fields where they all belong!" she shouted with the charisma of a leader. She even lent her sabers to their defense, causing the Imperials immediately in front to beginning panicking and attempting to incite the same fear into their friends. Then the horn went off, a great rumble that filled the halls of the Keep and the streets of the city with sound. It would be blown three more times as per the code that stated that the people of Pisces were in need of immediate assistance.

"Hold the Keep, hold the Keep until a response is heard by our ears!" she exclaimed. Then she led a charge that ended in the heart of Imperial numbers within the Keep, cutting troopers left in right as her soldiers followed suit. Her desire for blood accumulated the same as the men's did and she loved every scream she heard, craved the sight of Imperials being cut to pieces. And that was when she heard horns in the distance, blowing as her horn had blown before: her mother and her aid were very close and soon would be able to help finish the battle.

** Marcellus heard the horns** of the Easterners just as he was about to batter Isis' shield to bits with his mace. He knew that he still had nearly thirty thousand men but he remembered the slaughter that the Easterners had previously given to his numbers with their Warbeast caravans. "Attention Imperial soldiers, a caravan of Easterners approaches the battlefield. Twenty-two thousand are to report to the area from which that horn emanated its call and annihilate this caravan immediately," he said in his wrist comlink.

After he got the reply that his orders were to be carried out while the rest of his troops pressed the attack on the Keep, he turned his attention back to the Queen. "Even with the Easterners assisting you, your people will fall and Pisces will be under the shadow of the Caesarians forever!" he shouted. "Our people have already been enslaved to your evil for eight hundred years. Mark my words when I say that we will defend the freedom we fought so hard to gain with our lives!" his enemy replied proudly.

"I would be disappointed if you _didn't _fight for your freedom but groveled before me first," Marcellus said as he continued to batter her down with his mace. Then he hit the shield so hard that his mace actually clung unto it no matter his efforts to free it. That revelation gave him an idea that he perfectly executed: he pulled the Queen towards him and catapulted her into the air. The result was the separation of the Queen from her shield, leaving only the spear remaining as the shield was finally shattered by the mace.

"I will fight you to the end and I will kill you if I can do so before I die as well," she warned. "Not likely considering that the mace contained poisons that first blind you then paralyze you before painfully ending your life," Marcellus said, pointing to her fresh wounds with his sword. She recognized the poison the moment she saw purple swells begin to develop in her arm, the venom turning her arm into a purple piece of rotten flesh. "It won't be long now before the poison flows into your bloodstream and then kills you," he added.

** Luxor had been pinning down** Artemis with his use of Juyo though Artemis managed to counter with his incredible use of Soresu. "It's interesting that you are on the defensive as much as you are considering how you were just the opposite last we met," Luxor stated. "Maybe I'm just setting up a trap for you that you'll never escape from," Artemis replied. "Now tell me, this trap wouldn't involve me being cut down by some of your soldiers, would it?" Luxor inquired.

"Why would a Jedi go to such desperate measures to defeat the likes of you?" Artemis asked with a sneer. That remark made Luxor so much more aggressive that Artemis actually had to turn to his knowledge of Ataru in order to keep fighting his enemy. "Come on Luxor, you know that your anger is your weakness and I can use it against you," Artemis warned. "True but you'll never defeat me unless you access the power inside of you," Luxor replied, suggesting that Artemis give himself to the dark power within the recesses of his midichlorians.

It was a power Luxor had unlocked the last time they fought when he nearly severed Artemis' hand, which left the scar behind. So dark was it that Artemis initially avoided any opportunity to confront Luxor again. However, he worked up the courage when he found out that Luxor intended to come with Marcellus to Pisces for the conquest of his people. Now here he was, fighting his old enemy once again and trying his best to avoid accessing the dark power.

"Don't you dare try to wake up that power which you woke up last time," Artemis warned. "Why not? It may be the only way to save your mother now that she fights Marcellus alone," Luxor replied. At that moment, Artemis was very tempted to give into Luxor's offer but he calmed himself through the techniques of the Jedi and continued the fight.

"Very interesting Artemis but let's see how long your inability to give in remains, I wonder?" Luxor asked, continuing to taunt him. Artemis said nothing, knowing full well that any response he gave would prompt Luxor to mock him further. "Your mother is dying even as we speak and you won't have the courtesy to do what is necessary to save her! What kind of son are you?" Luxor added.

What Luxor didn't know was that Isis was not Artemis' real mother, the maiden Lucretia was. However, being the son of Pompey, he was eligible to take the throne in the event no other heir could. And though he abdicated the right, he was still eligible if Isis returned the right to him before she died. But he allowed himself to think not of this but of subduing or killing the Dark Jedi enemy before him.

And when he returned his focus to dealing with Luxor, he noticed something delightful. Luxor was getting slower, tired, and beginning to lose hope of winning against Artemis. Artemis could not believe he had successfully performed the most underlying principle of Soresu: wearing down an opponent before striking. To make things even better, he had combined his abilities in Soresu with his use of Ataru to wear down Luxor's abilities with Juyo and Djem So. Now, if Artemis kept this up for a few minutes longer, Luxor would have no defense against Artemis' secret: his use of Vaapad, the style created by Mace Windu and wielded by few.

Even Luxor's own knowledge of Soresu would not save him from such suddenly-launched attacks of aggression. Smiling, Artemis knew he won especially when he triggered Luxor's expected response. "What has you smiling when you know your defeat is now imminent?" he asked. "Before we started fighting, I conjured a plan that you have played into perfectly," Artemis answered.

"Which was?" Luxor inquired. "When we fought before, I realized that I couldn't overpower you so this time I decided to outsmart you instead. Did you think I was stalling you because my swordsmanship was inferior to yours? I stalled you because when I perform Vaapad in a few minutes, you would stand no chance especially now that you've taken my bait," Artemis explained.

"That's impossible, Vaapad died with its creator fourteen years ago!" Luxor shouted. "Nope it didn't, it survived through my master thanks to Windu tutoring him in it for a year. Quintus Superbus refused to use it because he didn't have what it took to channel his own darkness to the benefit of the Light. But like Windu before, I had what it took to channel the power you spoke of as a weapon of the Jedi and thus, I was trained in the style most suited.

"It's true Jupiter trained me in Ataru and Soresu until I could handle myself at least. But secretly, even secret to him, Quintus trained me in Vaapad until I could hold my own against its creator if I had ever been put against him," Artemis said. Luxor became desperate at that point and began hacking wildly in the manner of both Juyo _and _Djem So, trading off between the two. However, he not only wore himself out more quickly but he also hastened his vulnerability to Vaapad and increased more than Artemis anticipated.

And that was when the young Jedi launched the final stage of his ultimate goal of defeating Luxor forever. As expected, Artemis' skillful use of Vaapad overwhelmed even the best of Luxor's ability to defend against it. Soon, Artemis forgot about all the reason in his mind and focused solely on winning the duel with Luxor and putting a bitter end to their rivalry permanently. "This is impossible, this is impossible!" Luxor said again and again as he was forced against a cliff that happened to appear.

"Tell me assassin, how many blades do you see?" Artemis asked, directly quoting Windu. Luxor didn't bother answering as he continued to defend and occasionally strike out offensively. But as soon as he was to the edge, Artemis knew he would be too exhausted to jump over and save himself. However, Luxor was strong enough to thrust out with the Force and attempt to throw Artemis back but that was deflected.

The most damage he did with it was that he rendered Artemis' rather slim but muscular body shirtless. Including the rips on his pant legs and the dirt on the groin, butt, and back of his pants, he was the dirtiest of his family as far as this battle was concerned. But that didn't stop him from fighting until he managed to deactivate Luxor's lightsaber by slicing off the ignition end. Luxor knew he was doomed to die at that moment as Artemis then swung his blade back to make another stroke then started raising it toward the Dark Jedi's neck.

In a last, desperate attempt to save his own life Luxor stated, "You may have defeated me but who will save your brother, now?" Artemis heard it too late to stop himself from cutting off Luxor's head and sending both it and the rest of his body spiraling down the cliff into the dark abyss below. Nonetheless, he did hear it and knew he was going to have to ponder it at a later point if he survived the battle that was still to be fought. After all, he had thought his brother had died on Muunilinist along with Quintus but if what Luxor said was true… if it was true then that explained why he had only sensed Quintus' death and not his brother's.

It wasn't that he didn't have a link to his brother but rather, his brother had survived and was probably in Imperial captivity. Quintus was the only Jedi not so fortunate to escape with his life on Muunilinist, never mind escape at all. It was up to Artemis to find out the truth and if possible, bring Jupiter back so that he could rule Pisces as was his right by default… his right.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Marcellus heard the horns blast off and he knew Easterners had arrived, the likeliness of their aid going to his enemy high. "You are lucky that you have the Easterners to rely on. Had they not come, the battle would have been ended much more quickly then it already is," he stated. "You're right, it would've ended quicker but its better that it ended the way it did better than you being a coward hiding behind your soldiers," Isis replied.

"Did you really think I was going to hide behind my soldiers with the kind of lineage I have?" he asked her, raising a suspicious eyebrow. "Actually yes but I gathered the weapons and armor I have in the event I was wrong," she answered with a grin. Marcellus became so angry at that moment that he used his sword to throw her aside with a hit to her forehead. "Victory will be mine even with the intervention of the Easterners and their mounts," he said.

"Commander Piet, order all troops not within six yards of the Keep's drawbridge to turn their attention to the encroaching Easterner. Never stop until they bring the caravans down," he ordered into his comlink. Then he returned to the duty he had on his hands of killing the Queen and completing the revenge he started with Pompey, fourteen years ago. He just hoped that Artemis didn't intervene and prevent him from the fulfillment of his destiny.

**Ventress arrived with the** caravan and immediately saw the majority of the Imperial forces heading for them. She smiled at how they played right into her hands the way she had planned and counted more than twenty thousand total coming to the attack. "Form a perfectly straight line, be no more than the length of your Gorog's arm from your companion," she ordered. "We'll show these Imperials a thing or two before they bring our mighty mounts down to the earth!" the leader of her transport stated.

Undoing the strap on the energy bow, Asajj readied herself alongside the other archers and fired at the first Imperials she saw. But she saw that though the Gorogs would undoubtedly come incredibly close to wiping out this Imperial force, they would still have to do a little fighting themselves. She just hoped that when all twelve of the beasts finally did fall, hers would be the last bit that would lead the people of Pisces to victory. In addition, she also hoped that the officer called Marcellus was alive so that she could call off the bounty on her by capturing him here.

Imperial officers, when captured, were worth a lot to the Empire even if the reason for their capture was shocking to their powerful superiors. "Do not stop fighting and killing the Imperials even when your mounts die! Fight until they manage to kill _you _and don't stop a moment sooner!" she said. Then she continued to search the field for the officer who would free her of the bounty on her head and allow her to put herself back into her old mercenary ways.

** Mighella knew her mother** was completing her part when she heard several Imperials scream as they were thrown up into the air or squashed by the roaring Gorog mounts. This filled her with the courage she had once had at the beginning of this battle and more: it compelled her to decide a foolhardy but decent gamble. "Men, this could be our last hour and I don't want it spent here. If this is to be our end then I will have be such as to be worthy of a song; what say you to that, sons of Pisces!?" she exclaimed.

They roared in their excitement and she turned to lead the first charge against the enemy. Deflecting their fire, she ordered the troops to pick up the blasters and press the hair-like trigger in order to shoot with the weapons. The troops not only obeyed but picked it up almost too quickly to avoid shooting at Mighella though the shots ended up hitting stormtroopers instead. All their mind, body, and the fury driven by desperation in both drove Mighella and her troops to begin the end of the Imperial forces in the Keep.

At first, it didn't seem as though the end was in sight considering the length of the Keep. But because it was narrow, they were on their home ground and knew that victory was near when they could see the start of the bridge. The rage of the troops exploded from within the moment they saw the bridge and Mighella had to Force Speed her way out of their path to avoid being painfully trampled. Smiling, she knew the troops would be able to carry on the fight without her now that they knew how to use blasters and had the rage to fight and kill until they won.

It was then that she decided to go see if she could help her mother then check on Artemis and the Queen. Using Force Speed, she saw that her mother was doing incredibly well and had even dared to climb down from her mount despite the danger of being smashed ever present. _She has definitely restored her love for the thrill of battle by doing that _Mighella thought as she watched the older woman. Knowing that her mother would be doing fine, she decided to call Artemis on his comlink and see if he needed her.

His answer shocked her but now too much considering that she finally had the time to think about herself and a flood of fatigue set in. "I'm tired as hell and want to get some rest but I'm fine besides that," he had told her. She knew she probably shouldn't be doing it when she was already tired but she tapped into her Force Speed again when he provided coordinates for pickup. When she found him, she had to admit that she could see why he was as tired as she was if not more so.

His upper body was bare but it was covered in dirt wetted by the continuing rain, a scar ran across his forehead just above his left eyebrow. A rip ran across one leg of his pants but another leg had been shredded away entirely, exposing a gaping saber wound on his thigh. "You look a little worse for wear, don't you think?" she asked with a quick giggle. "Well you don't exactly look like a basket of roses yourself," he replied with a smile.

"Perhaps we can clean each other up in the bathhouses when this is over?" she suggested. "Hmm, I like the sound of that one. Let's check on my mother before we do anything else though. I heard the horn signaling the arrival of yours so I'm hoping mine hasn't gone off and done something stupid. Like facing Marcellus without me for example," he said.

"Um Artemis, she already rushed into it and last I saw, she was still fighting him," Mighella said. "Then we have to stop him before he breaks the Spear of Kings if he's already destroyed the Shield of Queens," he replied. "What's the importance of them if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired. "If Marcellus fulfills the prophecy and uses the Sword of Caesarian to break the Spear of Kings, our victory will mean nothing compared to the dark times that will fall upon my people," he explained, frightened.

"Then let's go stop him from shattering that spear together, what do you say to that?" she asked. "Sounds good though I am hardly fit to travel, never mind fight Marcellus like I did when I killed Luxor," he answered. She shrugged, vowing to inquire about that later though she was glad the Dark Jedi was no more. Her main concern now was to get Artemis to his mother and stop Marcellus now or not at all.

**"You fool, do you not** recall the prophecy of the reinstatement of my people? So long as the chance to complete it exists, you cannot kill me!" Marcellus shouted. "No but I'll destroy that sword before I let it lead the way to the destruction of my people," Isis shouted. "I repeat the question I first asked you when we met: do you not know death when you see it?" Marcellus asked.

His sword began to glow an orange color that became brighter and brighter as power gathered. Isis' Spear replied by gathering a blue glow that also became brighter and brighter as the moments passed. It was when both glows became unbearably bright that the son of Caesarian struck first by bearing the weight of his sword down on the shaft of Isis' spear. Upon contact with it, a bright white light washed over the space surrounding them and hid everything from view.

But when the white light faded away after those several, fateful seconds the result was devastating. The Spear had been broken in two and Marcellus' sword remained unscathed from the destructive blow. "Ha, the Spear of Kings is broken! My revenge is finally complete!" he said before kicking Isis down.

"Now, even if I lose this battle, dark times shall befall Pisces and only with its destruction at the hands of the Empire!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her neck and threw her about. He laughed when he wasn't saying something to gloat about the success of his ultimate goal before tiring of keeping the Queen alive for much longer. Isis had to admit that he was right: now that the Spear was destroyed, it didn't matter if her people were victorious here.

Without it, the dark times and perhaps even the Ragnarok of their entire world. And since the Shield of Queens was too badly damaged for further use, even the Armor of the Tribes was useless now. Even if Marcellus could be captured and defeated, he was now invulnerable to death by the hand of any here thanks to the Spear's violent destruction. Then, rather faintly, she heard a woman call out his name and he turned to see who was calling him.

** Ventress saw what Marcellus** had done and now she was going to act. Drawing her energy bow as far back as she could, she called out his name as she gathered as much energy for the shot as she could. When he finally turned around to face her, which coincided with the fact that her bow would explode if she didn't let go, she released. She watched as the shot carried itself at dangerous speeds toward its target and the accuracy of it insuring that it would hit his chest as was planned.

"Chew on that and we'll see how you do when you're our prisoner," she hissed as she watched the arrow fly straight at him. Then she turned to aid the Easterners who had lost most of their mounts and were now fighting on the ground despite their tremendous success. Combined with the fact that Pisces' army was repelling the troops at the Keep, victory was near. But the damage Marcellus had done could not be undone now that his goals were fulfilled.

** Marcellus saw the energy** bolt but knew it would be too late to dodge it at the rate it was traveling toward him. So he braced himself instead and winked at the Queen who was now suffering the final effects of his mace's poison as it was centimeters away from reaching her heart. What he encountered with the bolt instead was blast so powerful that his breastplate immediately disintegrated, the back plate fell off, and the whole right arm armor was burnt to ash. In addition, the shockwave was powerful enough to send him flying several meters away from the Queen during which, his leg plates were shattered from repeated collision with the ground.

By the end, all that was left of his armor was his helmet, the shoulder patch, gauntlet, and glove of his left arm. Even his sword had flown from his hand following the impact and likely to be lost to him rather permanently. _How could one blast destroy this armor _and _cause me to lose the sword? And how could I have allowed myself to be so blinded by my hatred that now my army is decimated by a comparatively small handful of troops I sought to wipe out? _he asked himself in painful defeat.

So defeated was he by this revelation that when Mighella and Ventress came for him, he surrendered immediately. With this bitter blow to his high pride, he could only hope for a quick execution for failure by the Emperor or Lord Vader. No officer deserved to go down to the levels that he did and live. His dream would die with him even if he finally fulfilled his selfish desire.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

The Emperor was in the middle of an important meeting when one of his Grand Admirals was told of an incoming transmission. "Is this an emergency or can this wait?" he asked the Admiral. "That depends on whether or not you want to hear a Jedi talk before us in a hologram," the Admiral, named Thrawn, coolly stated. Normally, the Emperor did not take communications from his fiercest enemies under the assumption that they were luring him into a trap.

It was when Thrawn stated that this one called himself Artemis that he suddenly became interested. "Patch it through and we will see what he has to say," he ordered. Thrawn did just that and Sidious watched as the hologram of a young man with almost no clothing and several nasty battle scars come to life. "Emperor Palpatine, fourteen years ago you betrayed the Republic and the Jedi Order to bring about an era of tyranny and evil that has forced me on the run most of my life," Artemis began.

_This boy has courage to be saying that about me in front of my most respected secret council but he may continue his sermon nonetheless _Palpatine thought as Artemis kept going. "Now an officer of your army named Marcellus Caesarian has extended this tyranny to the people of Pisces in an attempt to gain control of our rich cortosis mines. What he did not tell you however was that he was not interested in the cortosis. He was interested only in putting an end to a two and half century old family feud between the rest of Pisces and his line.

"He has succeeded only in killing the Queen of Isis, my stepmother, and forcing my hand in deciding the future of my people. Since I have already abdicated my right to the throne in favor of the Jedi life, I chose a substitute in the form of my half-sister but I digress. Marcellus' blind ambition has cost him his freedom in the form of our apprehension of him. In addition, his ambition has also cost the lives of the Dark Jedi Luxor and two hundred thousand Imperial soldiers.

"We are willing to talk with your chief diplomat or negotiator and discuss terms for his release but that is _all _we're willing to do with or for the Empire. My people love their world as do I and combined, we have already proven that against your officer. Use Marcellus' failure should be used as an example of why you should not drive people to the desperate measures my people were driven into. It takes far more to make a ruler than having the powers of the Dark Side and agents who keep your hands clean while they risk everything to satisfy your ends.

"Once Marcellus is returned and our terms are met, we will then disband any ties with the Empire to put our own stake in the galaxy. If you know what's good for you, you will accept this term and send someone to reclaim Marcellus in exchange for the fulfillment of our requests. We have drawn first blood, the call is yours now to make. You have been warned," Artemis said, concluding the hologram with that statement.

"The capture of an Imperial officer, even one of Marcellus' liking, is not something to be trifled with," Thrawn admitted. "Do you fear these people, Thrawn?" Grand Moff Tarkin inquired. "No but only a fool would have done as Marcellus has had when faced with such passion and determination combined with the might of a Jedi. Not to mention an alliance with a former assassin of Count Dooku and her Dathomiri daughter, who is gifted with Force Speed," Thrawn replied.

"So you _are _afraid, Chiss scum," said Demetrius Zaarin ecstatically. "You forget Zaarin that Thrawn is your equal and should be treated as such regardless of his background and normal Imperial protocol. Additionally, he speaks words of wisdom when he says that this Marcellus character has acted foolishly and hastily. He spelled doom for his entire fleet in seeking only revenge against this Jedi Knight's people," Palpatine warned.

"Then, with all due respect, what do you suggest is to be done, milord?" Zaarin asked. "Let us play along with their terms: Thrawn himself will lead the convoy that recues Marcellus from his captors. The orders are to deliver whatever terms they desire no matter how outrageous it may be. I want that man back so he can be dealt with under the proper authorities," Palpatine stated.

"I will set out for Pisces immediately then, milord," he said as he bowed before the Emperor and his fellow councilmen. _Perhaps Marcellus' defeat and his knowledge of the Pisces people will work to _my _convenience if not the Emperor's. My own personal empire is always looking for men such as him who can lead it to even greater riches than before _he thought to himself as he marched to his shuttle. Nonetheless he knew one thing: Pisces was in a system not too far from the Unknown Regions and could be taken for Thrawn's own personal vendetta.

What's more, this Marcellus would be much more useful in the final conquest of that system alive with Thrawn's sector then dead on the executioner's block. For despite not being entirely spotless, Marcellus had indeed displayed exemplary military service to the Empire. Such service as that was not about to go unnoticed by someone like Thrawn, possibly the greatest mind of all Grand Admirals in the Galactic Empire. He knew how to resolve this crisis and he would see to it that that was done once he had reacquired the good gentleman for his angered superior.

** Artemis turned to Mighella** immediately after sending the hologram and had to admit that she looked lovely despite the battle's tolls on her physical look. _I'm probably thinking this way because I look and feel worse for wear than she does _he thought to himself. "Well are we going to get ourselves cleaned up or you just going to sit there and stare me in my filth?" she asked at last. He snapped out of his awe by shaking his head and apologizing before following Mighella into a bathhouse on Pisces that was not yet occupied with bathing soldiers.

She slowly began taking off what remained of his clothes which included his near shredded pants and his boots, recoiling somewhat at the smell of the latter. "Man Artemis, did you wash your feet before we got started fighting?" she asked. "I washed every little part of me before the fun began for us, yes. Would you like to know how they are when they _don't_ go washed for a while?" he answered

"I think I'll pass on that one but you've got a spare robe, right?" she replied. He nodded and said he would don it on after returning to his room in the bathrobe at the end of the bath. "Good because even if you're cleaned up, I don't want you exposing that much sexiness to other people now that the battle's over," she said with a quick wink. "Well you aren't exactly covered in body-length fur coats yourself," he said, gesturing to what she had on.

She looked down and saw how she was about as dirty as he was but had enough clothing to cover her breasts and pelvic area but that was it. "I look like a jungle woman to you, don't I?" she asked aloud. "No but you act like one just fine to me," he said though he wasn't meant to answer the question. "Hey, that was rude mister!" she said as she slapped his chest rather playfully.

"Hey watch the lightsaber wound there woman, you crazy?" he asked as he raised his arms in defense. Laughing, she slowly began to take off the remainder of her own clothes off and skimmed into the hot water when she did that. "Man that ain't shit, you ought to be hard on these bathtubs," he said just before diving in after her. They chased each other around in the water as the dirt on their bodies gradually came off on its own, leaving them with only their scratches and cuts to wash and disinfect.

And as they washed each other, Artemis had himself a little fun while scrubbing Mighella. "Hey Mighella, I'll scrub your backside if you get my loins," he said jokingly. "I'm not touching them with a ninety-eight and a half foot pole!" she said, slapping him in the face. "Why not; it's royalty," he said, smiling as he rubbed his cheek.

"Just because I'm obsessed half to death with you doesn't mean I'm going there just yet," she replied. "What, are you afraid the rod part will go 'ding dong' while the rest says 'merrily on high'?" he asked. "You sick little pervert, did you ever use this kind of language around your brother?" she answered. "Yeah when I was old enough to join in such chats," he said.

"Hmmm, in that case, I'll let you go but you took it a little too far for comfort," she said. "Sorry about that, never been this close to a woman before I met you," he said. "It's okay, we can fix that stuff and by the way, I haven't been this close to a man before meeting you either," she told him. They kissed, each placing a hand on the other's cheek, and continued to bath until they felt they had done all they could to wash themselves clean of the battle.

** Thrawn arrived to Pisces** to find the Jedi Artemis far more freshly dressed than he had been in the hologram. He was also impressed to see the warrior Mighella and the mercenary Asajj Ventress alongside him with Marcellus bound in chains before them. "Release Captain Marcellus and I will guarantee whatever you desire. My orders are to grant all desires no matter how outrageous they may be in exchange for his return," he stated immediately.

Artemis marched forward first until he was mere centimeters away from the face of the Chiss Grand Admiral. "Here's the deal: the bounty on my head and that of Asajj Ventress is to be lifted. Your word is also to be given that the Empire leaves this system alone, never to return on pain of the execution of any Imperial that walks on Pisces. It doesn't matter if they're diplomats, troops, or businessmen looking to carve out a piece of Pisces for themselves, they will face this wrath," Artemis explained.

Thrawn had to admit that was well as cunning, he found Artemis to be bold in the normal manner of human youth. However, that was just under the assumption that he had been the sole leader of the Pisces forces that defeated Marcellus which Thrawn doubted. "Your statements are bold considering what you stand against and for but your terms will be delivered now," Thrawn said. Then he ordered one of his officers on the ship to go and remove the bounty on the heads of Artemis and Asajj Ventress.

"You have my word, as a Grand Admiral of the Empire, that I will petition to put a sanction forbidding the Empire from ever entering your homeworld again," he added. _These terms combined with the current weakness of Pisces make it ripe for conquest by my own forces _he thought to himself. The cortosis on Pisces would prove useful as armor and could be used to make rifles and pistols that were immune to lightsaber strikes. Now, Artemis had placed this system directly into the mercy of Thrawn's desire for eventual domination of the galaxy wrestled from the Emperor and Lord Vader.

Nonetheless, as he thought about all this, Artemis turned and nodded which was the signal to direct Marcellus to the shuttle. "I will have my revenge someday boy, I promise you that," he said as he was forced to march to the Imperials waiting for him. Thrawn smirked at that comment and watched as the battle-scarred and partly naked human man was sent into the shuttle. "You have delivered on your terms as we agreed now, we will deliver on those of our terms that we have not already delivered upon," Thrawn stated before turning around to march back onto the shuttle.

Once onboard and headed home, Thrawn asked to speak with Marcellus in private once the shuttle had arrived at their Star Destroyer, the _Chimera_. He wanted to make an arrangement that would appease the Emperor and Lord Vader while at the same time would allow Thrawn to use Marcellus as his pawn. After all, Marcellus' excellent career should not go unnoticed in the face of one bitter defeat which was even the worst the Empire had endured before. While there was no denying that the scale of life lost in one world was bad, it would mean nothing later on.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

It had been two years since Admiral Thrawn had chosen to save Marcellus from the wrath of Lord Vader and the Emperor. Two years since Marcellus had his rank reinstated following a probationary period supervised by Thrawn and came to include the takeover of Manaan. But now, Marcellus had a chance at the revenge he had wanted to deliver since that fateful battle at planet Pisces. He had proposed an offer to Mighella that she was now coming to learn about from him personally.

"What could you possibly offer me after all that has happened these last two years?" she asked him upon arrival. "That's the thing: I have come to offer you a blank slate with me as far as my favor goes. In exchange for hunting down the Jedi Knight Artemis and bringing his head before me, I will forget you were ever my enemy and allow you to roam this system rather freely," he answered. "And if I tell you to go fuck yourself?" Mighella inquired sternly.

"I'm guessing that means you won't be taking my offer, is that it then?" he replied. "I'm not taking your offer even if my life were to depend on it," she said. "Unfortunate but probably predictable in the case of Mighella Ventress. Is that what you call yourself or do you take after your father and call yourself Opress?" Marcellus mocked.

"I take after my mother as far as my name and personality is concerned but, know this. The descendants of Darth Maul and Savage Opress shall always stand against you and your Empire with allies that want nothing but your downfall. As long as I live, I will continue to fight for righteousness and justice in the galaxy as the Jedi did before. I will avenge what they could not protect in the name of making sure you and your masters are taken down no matter how long it takes.

"The sins of my father's youthful adventures and my father's insanity as a direct result shall be more than compensated for through me, an instrument of justice. In addition, my mother has chosen to use her freedom to lend her bounty hunting skills to the same cause as myself. So once again, I tell you to go fuck yourself and make sure to have the common courtesy to give a reach-around," Mighella said as she turned to leave. But not before she warned him that if he tried sending troops against her, she could run faster than all of them could and she wouldn't hesitate to kill them faster than they could breathe.

Then he watched as she left and he had to admit that he had been expecting this response though not how she put it into words. And it was when she finally left Marcellus' headquarters that his superior, Thrawn, stepped from the shadows to speak with him. "She is passionate in her cause much as she had been when she first fought against you with Artemis," he said. "Mighella Ventress is still young and may yet be broken of her passion if we just found a weakness against that speed power of hers," Marcellus replied calmly.

"There _is _but one weakness for anything that can move fast but it is dangerous for slow moving creatures too," Thrawn stated. "Would you care to evaluate what this is for me?" Marcellus asked. "Lure her into a power coupling the next time you confront her on the battlefield, time it so that it detects her movement seconds before she passes it. Once she has taken the bait, the rest will work itself out and she will be rendered incapacitated by the powerful electricity," Thrawn answered.

"In that case, I think I know just the bait with which to lure her. If we can ever find out where he went to for his next strike against the Empire," Marcellus said as he leaned forward in thought. "He will reveal himself again and when he does, we will be ready for him wherever he is," Thrawn assured his counterpart. "If you don't mind me asking… why did you save me back when we first met?" Marcellus asked.

He added that he knew it wasn't from the goodness of the Chiss' cold heart nor any personal ties to someone they both knew. "That's a good question Marcellus and I have been looking forward to answering it," Thrawn said before he began to answer it. Marcellus turned around in the chair he was sitting in and prepared to hear his superior's answer to the question. "The reason I saved was a combination of several factors that included an immediate recognition of your exemplary career in previous years," Thrawn began.

Marcellus shrugged, deciding that Thrawn was complimenting his more minor achievements early in his Imperial career. After all, Marcellus had always been sent to most of the systems that were neither major in significance nor would be after their conquest. When he decided to say nothing after that, he gestured for Thrawn to continue. "In addition to your exemplary service, one failure such as this was impressive against the record of success. However, in my mind, it was not impressive enough to warrant your demise at the hands of the Dark Lords of the Sith as would have been the normal scenario.

"Because your failure was too minor to warrant death combined with the fact that you would still have a long career ahead, I could not allow your death. Finally, there's the matter of what you know about the people of Pisces and the resources they immediately have available. You knew that the cortosis mines would live up to the satisfaction of Lord Vader when he approved of your mission due to the scarcity of the metal. That alone should deserve some recognition as very few officers have ever been able to persuade Vader into allowing them to attempt the fulfillment of a personal matter with a political face to put over it.

"Something of that sort requires finesse rare amongst Imperial Officers who have ever dared to make such a request. Besides that, you once did me a kindness yourself when you stood up and proposed that aliens be recruited to the Empire in an exchange for their rights as equals in the Empire. Though I do it in my own lands, I must admit I find diversity lacking whether or not that be because I am the only Chiss Grand Admiral in the Empire. Or maybe it was just because I am use to an overabundance of species fighting for one cause rather than what you were trying to overthrow," he stated, concluding the tale with that.

"As I recall, that measure of the act was outvoted twenty-two to four. Your vote was one of the four which had been the reason it lasted as long as it did even after the vote. In fact, you had thousands of reporters begging to know why you supported it whether for personal reasons or something else," Marcellus replied. "I did support it for some personal reasons but not as much as for the fact that when the statistics were run, it wouldn't have been good for alien Imperials anyway," Thrawn said.

"I keep forgetting, what were the statistics again?" Marcellus asked. "The odds of an alien soldier surviving long enough to gain his rights was two billion, one-hundred thirty-eight million, nine-hundred fifty-six thousand, and three-hundred and twenty-three to one. The percentage of aliens who died before five years of military service was very high in light of that last massive statistic. If I recall correctly, the likeliness that the majority of alien soldiers would die before five years of service was somewhere between eighty-five to ninety-six percent," Thrawn answered.

"In that case, perhaps it is due time we began advertising in the systems we have charted. Maybe even in the ones that belong to the Emperor, which would not go unnoticed for long but long enough for millions to be recruited," Marcellus said. "And what do you intend to have done with these 'millions' once they are recruited to our cause?" Thrawn inquired. "The majority of them would go to aiding you in your defense of the Unknown Regions from those extra-galactic invaders attempting to break through our defenses; what were they called?" Marcellus replied.

"Yuuzhan Vong is what the Core would call them but they have a name I will not utter in this room. Besides that, it is unpronounceable to the human tongue anyhow much as I would love to share it with you," Thrawn said immediately. "Perhaps, in time, I will learn how to pronounce the name and even speak the Yuuzhan Vong tongue as you apparently do," Marcellus said with a smirk. "In time my boy, but for now, we have the task of reinstating your right to command troops," Thrawn told him.

"I don't understand, I was suspended for four years!" Marcellus exclaimed. "Only on the count that you have not shown good behavior halfway through. In my mind, you have been on the best behavior that an officer without soldiers could possibly have ever been. Besides, are you not long over due to be exacting your revenge against the people of Pisces too?" Thrawn replied.

"You seriously would not be willing to give me what it would take to conquer that entire system with the skill those people have, would you?" Marcellus asked. He couldn't believe that he was hearing his superior right but what Thrawn said next, confirmed what he heard for him. "I need that cortosis in order to continue my fight against the Yuuzhan Vong and you are the only one who knows the ways of Pisces. That is, well enough for you to be capable of taking it if I provided you the materials and soldiers which you would use to take over the system for yourself," Thrawn said as Marcellus' jaw dropped in shock.

**Mighella returned to her** Coruscanti shelter and had to admit that she had been perhaps a little too quick to write off Marcellus. Nonetheless, what he had told her about how he would give her a blank slate in exchange for taking out Artemis was unacceptable. She loved the man to death as she had when she first met him and she was not about to betray him now. Not when she was already this deep into his cause to save the galaxy from the iron will of the Empire once and for all.

After Queen Isis had been killed by the poison of Marcellus' mace two years ago, Artemis had been forced to make arrangements to marry his sister to the Viscount's eldest son. Though it was another bitter blow he was going to have to cope with, he had already abdicated the right to the throne and could see no other choice. But before she died, Isis had given her blessing on the relationship Mighella had with Artemis and instructed her to marry him some day. "Though I won't be there to see it, encouraging you is the least I can do to reconcile what I've done to him," she said.

He walked into the door of the shelter just as she was thinking about it and made a show of it as he always did these days. "Hey sweetie, did you get the items on the list I gave you?" she asked. She used Force Speed to rush down to the kitchen and see if he had checked off everything on her 'To-Get' list. When it came out with everything checked, she kissed him on the cheek as he said he had done as she asked and proceeded to turn on their cooking materials.

"What's tonight's meal I wonder?" he asked as he rubbed his stomach. "Well the food is a surprise but I do want to know how the Manaan operation went? Captain Marcellus just barely tried offering me the chance for a blank slate between us in exchange for your head," Mighella asked him. "It went well and I got the data our friends in the rebellion will be needing in order to launch their next assault; surprise the gutless coward was brave enough to ask you though," Artemis answered.

"Not to worry, we'll get him for what he did to Pisces someday. Just not now since though your head isn't worth anything, people still want bragging rights to have killed a Jedi. _That _base-bounty will not have changed though the extra money on your head specifically has disappeared as a result of the truce," Mighella told him. "I know, I know; I'm just real hungry now and I get so angry when I just think his name, never mind say it," Artemis replied.

"Don't worry mister Tiberius, justice will be done to your people on the personal level someday. You already killed Luxor and found out about the survival of your brother, right? That's got to count for something," she stated. Though he still wondered what his brother's survival did count for, he had to admit that she was right and to quit deliberating, for right now.


	21. Epilogue

Epilogue

The former Sith Lord Maul had to admit that his niece had done well for herself since he let her leave Ruusan, two years ago. She had not only found her first love interest (something he didn't find until he was at least five or six years older than her) but had also begun living like a citizen of the Empire. For him, this would be really useful if he ever decided that the time had come for the two of them to confront the Emperor together. But despite his protestations against her choice of career, he had to admit that he found it nice she could travel the galaxy freely.

However, he felt a looming storm forming in the bowels of his heart. He knew it wouldn't long before an overwhelming flood of darkness washed over the galaxy. There would be blood and a war that would not end for years, resulting in the death of many people. As such, he had trouble deciding whether or not he wanted to ride the storm out or charge into it.

If he did the second one, he risked not only his life but the life of his niece and everything he had strode so hard to protect from his former master. But if he rode it out, there was still the possibility that Mighella might charge into it only to show up dead on his doorstep when it finally subsided. Desperate to find out what he needed to do about this impending darkness, he decided to head to the cave where he had previously spoken with Qui-Gon Jinn and Ophelia. He needed their wise counsel no more than ever for though he had been a man of war before, it had been too long since the last time he had wielded his lightsaber willingly.

"Masters, I seek your wisdom once again for I must know. I feel the growing storm that you probably feel as well and I seek knowledge as to what I must do about it. Shall I ride it out or must I charge in and hope that I find the source?" he asked upon arriving at the cave. Remaining in a bow, he awaited the acknowledgement of the spirits but at first, he heard nothing from them.

It was when he was about to leave that suddenly, Qui-Gon Jinn appeared to assist the Zabrak. "You feel the storm that racks the realm of the netherworld in your heart and you wish do know whether to do something about it or wait. I have come to tell you to do neither: look deeper and you will find another way," Qui-Gon stated. "Wait, I don't understand; if I ride out the storm and go into it I risk losing everything!" Maul shouted.

"Look deep inside yourself and you will know the solution to your dilemma without much effort. Your mother has placed much faith in your own personal wisdom and you must be tested to see if her faith has been in vain all these years," Qui-Gon replied. Then he vanished like the wisp of cloud that he had been when he entered the cave to speak with his friend. Maul, however, was feeling discouraged by what Qui-Gon had said about his wisdom and his mother.

But he decided that looking inside himself wasn't such a bad idea. For an hour, he remained in a state of meditation seeking the answer. Then, when all hope faded, he found one that suited him most. "I will wait until I must enter and not a moment sooner," he said out loud with a smile.

**A/N: **Thanks guys for your patience with this one. I had a little trouble with writer's block here and there but now it's done. At this time, I would like to not only thank you but I would also like to let you know, I'm going to try and take a break from writing on here for at least one or two weeks. Once the break is done, I will be back with a collaborative project first brought forth to me by username Forcystus5. Stayed tuned in two weeks for _Star Wars: Vengeance From The Unknown: Treaty In The Darkness!_


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